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Tallahassee Rep. To Oppose Miami Nuclear Plant Expansion

Turkey Point nuclear plant as seen from neighboring Biscayne National Park
Jessica Palombo
/
WFSU News
Turkey Point nuclear plant as seen from neighboring Biscayne National Park

Turkey Point nuclear plant as seen from neighboring Biscayne National Park
Credit Jessica Palombo / WFSU News
/
WFSU News
Turkey Point nuclear plant as seen from neighboring Biscayne National Park

A Tallahassee lawmaker and a South Florida mayor are planning to ask FloridaGov. Rick Scott to stop the expansion of a Miami nuclear power plant. Scott and his cabinet will hear from Florida Power and Light Tuesday about its plans to add reactors to its Turkey Point plant.

Florida Power and Light’s proposal includes two new nuclear reactors and 89 miles of transmission wires to stretch across nearby towns. The wires are a sticking point forPinecrestMayor Cindy Lerner. Lerner is slated to attend the meeting alongside state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda (D-Tallahassee), who says an expansion of nuclear power has statewide implications.

"What’s really happening is we’re pushing out the desire and need for other innovations and for other renewable energy answers," she says. 

Vasilinda has unsuccessfully sponsored bills repealing power companies’ ability to charge customers for nuclear plants that are never built, as happened recently in Levy County. And she says she’s concerned about the safety of all nuclear reactors as sea levels continue rising

Copyright 2014 WFSU

Jessica Palombo oversees local news at WJCT News 89.9 and Jacksonville Today. With a master’s degree in broadcast and digital journalism from Syracuse University and bachelor's in journalism from the University of Florida, Jessica is a nearly lifelong resident of Jacksonville. You may have once seen her on a local community theater stage. These days, you can most likely catch her reading a book in a school pickup line.