Columnist Jonathan Ellis referred to raising taxes as South Dakota's nuclear option. Nuts to that: let's go for a real nuclear option. As I learn from Montana Cowgirl, Montana Teapublican and new state legislator Derek Skees wants to lift Montana's ban on nuclear power plants:
Skees points out that many Democrats, including President Obama, and many environmentalists believe nuclear power might be the answer to the nation's growing demand for electricity and the need to keep carbon emissions low.
"Mini-nukes," such as the Toshiba 4S reactor, which could provide 10 megawatts to small rural communities, is an example of the new generation of small, inexpensive nuclear reactors. It was featured in the February issue of National Geographic [Richard Hanners, "Skees Outlines Draft Bills," Whitefish Pilot, 2010.12.22].
South Dakota has no operational nuclear power plants. The Pathfinder plant near Sioux Falls generated nuclear juice for just one year, from August 1966 to September 1967. Like Montana, we are a "Non-Agreement State," which I take it complicates licensing and operating a nuclear plant in our fair state.
Among the proposals in his State of the State Address Tuesday, Governor Dennis Daugaard said he wants to loosen South Dakota's product liability laws (ulp!) to lure Boeing and the rest of the aviation industry to build factories around Ellsworth Air Force Base. What better tie-in with the business needs of the military-industrial complex than some nuclear power plants to plug into those gleaming factories of American air power?
So, any legislators care to pursue a real nuclear option?
You're nefarious, Mr. Heidelberger. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7xycPQPWPPM/TSndxVIRGtI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/wpWe5YwU42Q/s1600/800px-Geothermal_heat_map_US.png
Since South Dakota is a serial offender, it seems incomprehensible that its GOP minders be trusted with any more nukes than are there already.
I actually think this is a great idea...transmission lines are inefficient and in weather like ours, unreliable. This is probably a better option than wind.
Piet-
Actually transmission lines are incredibly efficient. 93% of all power put into the grid makes it to its destination. A 7% loss is pretty incredible when you compare it to generator technology or use efficiency. The whole "smart grid" is going to save us so much money is a bunch of garbage.