New Baseload Generation
Our most important job at Entergy Mississippi, Inc. is to ensure that we
provide safe, reliable, affordable electricity to our customers now and in the
future. It’s also our goal to keep customers informed of news and issues that
may affect them, and the need for new baseload generation in Mississippi is
one of those.
Mississippi’s power needs are growing, yet the current fleet of generating
plants in the state won’t be able to keep up with the projected increase in
demand. The Mississippi Legislature recently passed a bill that addresses a
crucial financing concept for utilities that build new baseload generation
plants.
Passage of the bill was a big milestone for Entergy Mississippi and for our
customers as we prepare for the future. Similar to legislation passed in
several other states, the bill gives the Mississippi Public Service Commission
new authority to approve a pay-as-you-go financing plan for utilities that
construct new baseload generation.
While the bill advanced Entergy Mississippi’s plans toward construction,
several more steps remain to be completed before we can consider the option of
new baseload projects of any kind – including nuclear. We have received
approval for an Early Site Permit and submitted a combined construction and
operating license to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a possible new unit
at the Grand Gulf nuclear site in Port Gibson.
Steps in this process can take years to cycle through a complicated network of
regulatory reviews and approvals. That’s why we took the initiative to start
the process early so that we can be prepared when the time is right in
Mississippi to proceed with a new baseload generation project.
The baseload generation bill raised many issues as it was being debated by the
public and by the legislature, and there still seems to be some
misunderstanding about the purpose and intent of the legislation. To answer
questions and clarify issues, we’re making available on our Web site a fact
sheet along with several frequently asked questions about this issue.
We hope that customers find the information thorough, helpful and informative.
We plan to update the site to reflect the latest news and developments on the
issue of baseload generation and our plans for future construction, so please
check back for further details.
Sincerely,
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Haley Fisackerly
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