More nuclear power possibilities in the Quad Cities area and possibly major investment and jobs. Several dozen landowners in Muscatine County heard from MidAmerican Energy representatives Tuesday afternoon about a potential generating facility in their backyards.
The site is just South of Wilton and Durant on more than 700 rural acres. More specifically it's on Trail Avenue, in-between 140th and 150th Streets. In the next couple of months soil samples will be taken there as part of a nuclear feasibility study.
If the site is picked for a nuclear plant, it could be a $3 billion project and add 350 jobs. At this point, MidAmerican is pursuing a couple options. With environmental regulations we're going to see reduced energy from coal generation, we know that. We have demand that's growing so now we have to decide how to meet that demand. We have two choices: a natural gas plant or a nuclear plant," said Dean Crist, Vice President of Regulation for MidAmerican Energy.
Company reps went over a lot of the details in a closed door, invite only, meeting in Wilton Tuesday. Landowners immediately affected are approaching this with open minds, but also with caution.
The site MidAmerican Energy sees as potential for a power plant is practically in Joan Bartenhagen's front yard. The same goes for others in her family.
"My farm's right on 150th Street and my brother and my sister and their farms. It affects the whole family," said Bartenhagen.
Her biggest concern is that the plant would take valuable farmland out of production. "By 2050 there will not be enough farmland to produce food to feed people in the united states let alone the world. Here you're taking 600 more acres of prime farmland in Muscatine County," she added.
At this point, MidAmerican Energy reps say no decision on a plant has been made. This is all part of a 3-year feasibility study. Though, the company has already given options to landowners to buy out the acreage. That includes Dewayne Connor's farm ground. "When they approached us they were talking a plant, yes. They said nuclear," said Connor.
Connor says the price could be right. Aside from that, he's seeing the potential benefits the county could be in for. "I think it'd be great for the community, I really do. I think it'd create a lot of jobs, bring taxes in," added Connor.
If nuclear is the route, the company is talking about small modular reactors, the newest technology that's about one-third the size of current nuclear plants. MidAmerican is also looking at Fremont County in southwest Iowa. Reps met with landowners there last week and say, if they choose to build a facility, it could be one of the counties or both. Even if all the pieces fall together it could be at least five years before construction starts.
After the soil samples MidAmerican will issue a report to the Iowa Utilities Board and legislature this spring. There's no timeline on any sort of decision. Some question what kind of input residents and county officials will have if it moves forward.
"It is my understanding they may not have to go through the board of supervisors for rezoning, that this may be up to the utilities board. But we'll have to find out," said Muscatine County Supervisor Tom Furlong.
Earlier this year, MidAmerican sought legislation to help fund a new nuclear power plant through a customer rate increase. The bill did not make it to the Senate floor. Company officials say they don't plan to push it in the next session.
