Letter to Constellation Energy CEO

Letter Text

Dear Mr. Shattuck,

We, the undersigned, urge you to withdraw Constellation Energy Group’s application to build a new nuclear reactor in Maryland. Nuclear power threatens public safety and the environment and is overly reliant on taxpayer subsidies.

We are concerned that there is no long-term solution to the highly toxic nuclear waste generated by nuclear reactors. Your company already stores highly toxic nuclear waste adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay and the new reactor could add as much as 1,375 tons of radioactive waste during its 40 years of operation

If the waste isn’t stored on site, it will instead be carted to the proposed federal nuclear waste repository in Nevada. Under this scenario, casks of radioactive waste would be transported by rail or truck, passing within five miles of 3.1 million Marylanders. An accident involving a transport vehicle could expose thousands to radiation.

On top of that, the new nuclear power plant would be very expensive to construct and taxpayers would assume much of the financial risk. Construction costs for the new plant range between $2.5 billion and $5 billion and construction likely won’t be done until the mid 2010s. Your partner company, Areva, has already fallen 1.5 years behind on the prototype reactor in Finland, adding $922 million to the cost of that plant.

There are cleaner, safer and more affordable ways to meet our energy needs than nuclear power. Please withdraw your plans to build a new nuclear reactor in Maryland.

Sincerely,