Kemper Project has, at least, made Haley Barbour money. For the rest of the state; not so much. In fact the initial projected cost of Kemper has risen a couple times, and Mississippi Power said they had to raise energy rates on their customers.
[c]Steve Wilson; Mississippi Watchdog
Full-page ads in the Biloxi Sun-Herald and Jackson Clarion-Ledger and a radio spot running on Mississippi radio stations extol the virtues of the $6.206 billion plant, which is two years behind schedule and billions over budget.
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled in February that Mississippi Power must issue refunds on a 18 percent rate increase to fund Kemper’s construction because the Mississippi Public Service Commission hasn’t ruled yet on whether costs incurred for construction are justified. The company has asked the Court for a rehearing, along with the PSC.
The Mississippi radio spot invites listeners to “look at that facts.” Watchdog.org took a look and found several to be skirting with reality.
- “Kemper was ordered to be built by the Mississippi Public Service Commission after extensive hearings regarding the needs of Mississippi Power customers.”
Jackson attorney Robert Wise, who practices in front of the PSC, said Mississippi Power’s view on the PSC’s order is not exactly accurate.
“What the Commission did was grant them permission to build Kemper,” Wise said. “That gave them the go-ahead, but I don’t believe that they were ordered to build Kemper, come what may. They always retained the discretion to stop and inform the Commission that the plant had become unprofitable.”
Wise cited the example of Entergy’s plans to build a second reactor at the Grand Gulf Nuclear Plant in western Mississippi in the early 1980s. Even though the PSC was set to approve the plant via order, the company decided not to build the new reactor.
- “Kemper is bringing jobs, growth and progress to south Mississippi”
