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34 projects found for:
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Topic: Nuclear Power
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Advising the Vermont Legislature on the Future of Vermont Yankee
Client: Vermont General Assembly
Synapse was hired by the Vermont Legislature to identify and analyze numerous technical, economic, and reliability issues surrounding the continued operation of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station once its initial license period expires in March 2012. Specific tasks include attending and participating in hearings, organizing and staffing informational briefings for the legislature, preparing issue briefs, and performing and/or supervising quantitative analysis of the likely economic attributes of the plant and associated power purchase agreements. Project ongoing.
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Nuclear Power Plant Decoommissioning Costs
Client: The Utility Reform Network (TURN)
Synapse provided expert witness services concerning the triennial decommissioning cost dockets for SDG&E and SCE. Project ongoing.
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Analysis of Acquisition of Constellation Energy Group
Client: Maryland Office of the People's Counsel
Synapse was hired to review issues with the acquisition of Constellation Energy Group (including Baltimore Gas and Electric Company) by Electricite de France. Our analysis focused on risks and financial impacts associated with the Calvert Cliffs nuclear station. Project ongoing.
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Review of the Proposed Sale of the Duane Arnold Energy Center
Client: Iowa Office of the Consumer Advocate
Synapse investigated whether the proposed sale of the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant was in the interest of the ratepayers. Among the issues addressed in Synapse's testimony were the plant's likely costs and operating performance; whether the plant could and should be relicensed; the risks of selling the plant and building a new coal plant in its place; likely future market prices; and whether the proposed sale was structured to benefit shareholders or ratepayers. Project completed in November 2005. Download Hausman Testimony
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Report on Impact of Proposed Reliability Pricing Model
Client: Illinois Citizens Utility Board
Synapse developed a report on the impact of PJM's proposed Reliability Pricing Model (RPM) on Exelon nuclear facilities' capacity revenues in northern Illinois. At the request of Illinois Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Synapse analyzed the current capacity revenues earned by Exelon's nuclear fleet in Illinois and compared those revenues to the historical six-year average prices for capacity in PJM and to the RPM "target price" as defined by a benchmark proxy peaker unit. The analysis showed that the capacity revenues for Exelon's nuclear units in northern Illinois would increase from $100 million (2005) to over $500 million annually under RPM, on average, and that annual earnings under RPM for a single year could be as high as $1.2 billion under extreme scarcity conditions. Project completed in August 2005. Download Report
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The Relicensing of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plants
Client: New York State Attorney General
Synapse was retained to evaluate whether there are lower cost alternatives to the relicensing of the Indian Point Nuclear Power plants for an additional twenty years of operating life. Project completed August 2009.
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Millstone Cooling System
Client: Soundkeeper
Synapse was retained to evaluate the economic impact of converting the Millstone Nuclear Power Plants from once-through to closed-cycle cooling. Project completed October 2008.
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Analysis of Proposed Bruce to Milton 500 kV Transmission Line
Client: Pollution Probe
Synapse was retained to assess economics of proposed 500 kV line with emphasis on analysis and critique of Hydro One computation of locked-in energy associated with alternative projects. Project completed October 2008.
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The Electricity Industry at a Glance
Client: National Regulatory Research Institute
The National Regulatory Research Institute (NRRI) retained Synapse to prepare a primer on the U.S. electric industry for public utility commissioners and public utility commission staff. The primer provides basic information on the U.S. electric industry. It assumes only a basic understanding of the nature and purpose of utility regulation. While it addresses issues related to ratemaking, it is not an introduction to rate setting. Section I reviews the overall nature of the industry and of power production and use. Section II breaks down the industry into segments and discusses their recent and current status and organization. Section III (written by Scott Hempling of NRRI) covers regulatory jurisdiction, while Section IV identifies some of the critical issues facing the industry and its regulators. Project completed in November 2008. Download Report
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Risks of Investing in New Nuclear Power Plants
Client: Global Resource Action Center (GRACE)
Synapse spoke to rating agencies and investment analysts concerning the financial risks of investing in new nuclear power plants. Project completed in June 2008.
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Review of Bush Administration's proposed Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
Client: Global Resource Action Center (GRACE)
Synapse prepared a detailed assessment of the Bush Administration's Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) plan to institute the reprocessing of light water reactor spent fuel and to build a large number of fast breeder reactors. As part of GNEP, the United States also would provide nuclear fuel to and would take back the spent fuel from any countries that committed to not seek their own fuel enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing facilities. Project completed in May 2008. Download Report
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Full Cost Accounting Study of West Valley Project
Client: Citizens' Environmental Coalition
Synapse was engaged to critique cost benefit analyses of various remediation plans for this nuclear waste processing site and to improve the comprehensiveness of costs and benefits considered. Project completed December 2008. Download Report
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Mississippi Integrated Resource Plan Testimony
Client: Sierra Club
The Sierra Club retained Synapse to provide testimony on the proper goals, approach, and methods for IRP preparation by Mississippi's electric utilities. Synapse provided prefiled and oral testimony on IRP, supply planning, T&D issues, energy efficiency and load control, and related topics in the Mississippi Commission's generic proceeding on resource planning. Project completed in 2008. Download Steinhurst Testimony
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Companion Scenario Analysis
Clients: Conservation Law Foundation, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
For this project, Synapse reviewed a ISO-NE Scenario Analysis report and developed a Companion Report that evaluated two additional scenarios for greater EE, DR, renewables, and reduced carbon resources. Project completed in 2007. Download Report
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Review of Proposed Sale of Point Beach Nuclear Power Plants
Client: Wisconsin Citizens Utility Board
Synapse evaluated the proposed sale of the Point Beach nuclear power plants. The Commission ultimately approved the sale, but applied a number of the conditions we had recommended. Project completed in August 2007. Download Testimony
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Assistance in Lawsuit Regarding the Sale Price of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant
Client: U.S. Department of Justice
Synapse assisted the Department of Justice in litigation brought by Boston Edison regarding the sale price of the Pilgrim Nuclear Station. Synapse's testimony addressed the risks faced by the purchaser of a nuclear power plant in 1998. Project completed in June 2007.
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Proposed Sale of Palisades Nuclear Power Plant
Client: Michigan Department of the Attorney General
Synapse evaluated the proposed sale of the Palisades nuclear power plant. Synapse found that the proposed sale was not in the public interest because the price for power under the proposed power purchase agreement was too high. However, the Commission ultimately approved the sale. Project completed in April 2007. Download Schlissel Testimony
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Nuclear Power Cost Analysis
Client: Union of Concerned Scientists
Synapse provided UCS with information and analysis of the expected costs of nuclear power plants in the United States. Project completed December 2006
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Review of Request for Nuclear Accounting Order
Client: Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
Synapse was asked by SACE to review Georgia Power Company's request for an accounting order to record early site permitting and construction operating license costs for new nuclear power plants. Synapse recommended that the Commission reject Georgia Power's request for the accounting order. Synapse concluded that instead of making any decision regarding the relative economics of new nuclear power plants based on the incomplete record that will be developed in this rushed docket, the Commission should require that the economics of all technically feasible supply-side and demand-side options be investigated in detail in the 2007 IRP proceeding. We also recommended that the Commission also not take any action that would give nuclear power any specific subsidies that are not being provided to other supply-side and demand-side options. Project completed in July 2006. Download Testimony
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California Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning
Client: The Utility Reform Network (TURN)
Synapse evaluated the reasonable costs of decommissioning the Diablo Canyon, San Onofre, and Palo Verde nuclear power plants. Synapse recommended significant reductions in the annual decommissioning costs that needed to be collected from ratepayers. The case was settled with the companies agreeing to substantially reduce their requested annual decommissioning cost collections. Project completed in May 2006.
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New Nuclear Capacity in Illinois
Client: Environmental Law and Policy Center
Synapse assisted ELPC in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission docket on Exelon's proposal for an Early Site Permit for the construction of a new nuclear generating unit at the Clinton site. Synapse reviewed Exelon's analysis of alternatives to the proposed action, the environmental impacts of the various alternatives, and the relevant sections of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Project completed in May 2005. Download Affidavit
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Review of Proposed Replacement of the Steam Generators at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
Client: The Utility Reform Network (TURN)
Synapse reviewed whether the failure of the owners of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station to seek damages from the designer and fabricator of the unit's original steam generators represented prudent management. Synapse also examined the units' likely future operating costs and performance. Project completed in May 2005. Download Testimony
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Review of Indian Point Hidden Costs
Client: Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition
Synapse examined the subsidies and hidden costs associated with the operation of the Indian Point nuclear reactors. At the request of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC), Synapse reviewed existing literature to identify and, where possible, quantify the federal and local subsidies and environmental and health costs affecting Indian Point. Project completed in May 2005.
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Nuclear Power Plant Steam Generator Replacements
Client: The Utility Reform Network (TURN)
Synapse evaluated the technical and economic issues related to Pacific Gas and Electric's decision to replace the steam generators at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. Project completed in May 2005.
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Review of Three Mile Island Unit 2 Decommissioning Costs
Client: New Jersey Division of the Ratepayer Advocate
Synapse investigated the impact that the March 1979 accident has had on the cost of decommissioning Three Mile Island Unit 2. Synapse also evaluated whether ratepayers should have to pay these additional costs. Finally, Synapse examined whether the Three Mile Island Unit 2 decommissioning funds are already fully funded given the likelihood that the start of decommissioning of the facility will be significantly later than previously planned. Project completed March 2005.
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Nuclear Spent Fuel Storage
Client: Bradford Brook Associates
Synapse conducted research on the costs of nuclear power plant spent fuel storage. Project completed in December 2004.
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Nuclear Power Plant Economics
Client: Union of Concerned Scientists
Synapse reviewed and summarized literature on the costs and performance of nuclear power plants in the United States. Project completed in December 2004.
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Review of National Grid's Settlement of Litigation over Northeast Utilities' Management of the Millstone Unit 3 Nuclear Power Plant
Client: Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Synapse reviewed the reasonableness of National Grid's settlement of litigation over Northeast Utilities' mismanagement of the Millstone Unit 3 nuclear power plant. Project completed in August 2004.
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Review of the Proposed Sale of the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant
Client: Wisconsin Citizens' Utility Board
Synapse investigated whether the two Wisconsin utilities that currently own the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant would receive the unit's fair market value as part of the proposed sale to a subsidiary of Dominion Resources, Inc. Synapse also examined the regulatory consequences of selling the power plant to a subsidiary of an out-of-state multi-tiered holding company. Project completed in June 2004. Download Testimony
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Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Towers
Client: Riverkeeper, Inc.
Synapse investigated the practicality and cost of installing cooling towers at the Indian Point nuclear power plants. Synapse also evaluated the operating cost and reliability impacts of installing such cooling towers. Project completed in March 2004.
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Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Costs
Client: Wisconsin Citizens' Utility Board
In testimony filed at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission in September and October 2003, Synapse found that the Wisconsin Public Service Corporation was over-collecting from ratepayers for funds that would be needed to decommission the Kewaunee Nuclear Plant at the projected end of its service life. Project completed in September 2003. Download Direct Testimony
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Nuclear Power Plant Steam Generator and Reactor Vessel Head Replacements
Client: Arkansas Public Service Commission Staff
Synapse evaluated technical and economic issues related to Entergy Arkansas' decision to replace the steam generators and the reactor vessel head at the Arkansas Nuclear One Unit 1 nuclear plant. Project completed in June 2003. Download Testimony
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Proposed Utility Decommissioning Costs
Client: South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
Synapse assisted the Consumer Advocate in evaluating whether South Carolina Electric & Gas Company was over-collecting from ratepayers for the funds that would be needed to decommission the Summer Nuclear Plant at the projected end of its service life. Project completed in November 2002.
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The Increasing Use of Limited Liability Companies and Multi-Tiered Holding Companies to Own Nuclear Power Plants
Clients: STAR Foundation, Riverkeeper, Inc.
Synapse surveyed the increasing use of complex corporate ownership structures and LLCs to own and operate nuclear power plants and reviewed the NRC's oversight of these developments. Synapse also identified those areas in which changes need to be made to assure that there are adequate funds available to meet NRC-imposed requirements, including post September 11, 2001 security-related requirements and Price-Anderson Act nuclear accident insurance obligations, and to assure that decommissioning funds are adequate and are protected. Project completed in August 2002. Download Report
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