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Nebraska utility head recommends closing nuclear power plant

FILE - This March 26, 2013 file photo shows the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in Blair, Neb. Tim Burke, the president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District, told the utility's board that Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station isn't financially sustainable. Shuttering the plant would represent a major shift for the utility, which serves more than 310,000 customers in 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska. Utility officials previously maintained that Fort Calhoun would be a valuable part of its plans because of its ability to generate power without adding to carbon dioxide emissions. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
FILE - This March 26, 2013 file photo shows the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in Blair, Neb. Tim Burke, the president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District, told the utility's board that Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station isn't financially sustainable. Shuttering the plant would represent a major shift for the utility, which serves more than 310,000 customers in 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska. Utility officials previously maintained that Fort Calhoun would be a valuable part of its plans because of its ability to generate power without adding to carbon dioxide emissions. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File) FILE - This March 26, 2013 file photo shows the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant in Blair, Neb. Tim Burke, the president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District, told the utility's board that Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station isn't financially sustainable. Shuttering the plant would represent a major shift for the utility, which serves more than 310,000 customers in 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska. Utility officials previously maintained that Fort Calhoun would be a valuable part of its plans because of its ability to generate power without adding to carbon dioxide emissions. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

By Associated Press 4 min read

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The head of a Nebraska utility recommended shutting down the nation’s smallest nuclear power plant by the end of the year, saying Thursday that it doesn’t make economic sense to keep it open.

Tim Burke, the president and CEO of the Omaha Public Power District, told the utility’s board that Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station isn’t financially sustainable.

Shuttering the plant would represent a major shift for the utility, which serves more than 310,000 customers in 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska. Utility officials previously maintained that Fort Calhoun would be a valuable part of its plans because of its ability to generate power without adding to carbon dioxide emissions.

The board is expected to vote on the recommendations at its June 16 meeting.

The district spends about $650 million a year on generating power, which includes about $250 million on Fort Calhoun. Burke said closing the nuclear plant will help keep the utility’s rates low compared to the average power cost in the region.