The Senate will consider a measure that could lead to a second nuclear power plant in Missouri.

Intro: As the Senate Commerce Committee moved forward on a bill that could allow for a second nuclear plant in Missouri, a firestorm erupts over the public relations efforts of some of the bill's opponents. RunTime:2:01
OutCue: SOC

The Senate Commerce Committee voted to move forward with a measure to allow more financing options for energy providers creating a nuclear power plant in the state.

Senator Kurt Schaefer drafted a substitute bill that would give the Public Service Commission the authority to raise rates if it determines a rate increase is in the best interest of customers.

These financing options are called CWIP or construction work-in-progress.

Senator Joan Bray was one of four committee members to oppose the proposal, saying it is convoluted and restrictive.

Actuality: BRAYOPP.WAV

Run Time: 00:13

Description: We need to keep our good procedures that we have with the PSC and let them take care of our regulation of utilities in Missouri as they have for so long so successfully.

In voting for the bill, Senator John Griesheimer warned fellow committee members of a backlash from constituents who were exposed to ads full of what Griesheimer says are lies.

Actuality: GRRANT2.WAV

Run Time: 00:27

Description: "Now I see the headlines, 'CWIP bill passes Senate Committe' and then all of us are going to have to explain to everybody what this bill does and try to counteract all the BS and all the lies that have been stated to the press. And I'm gonna tell ya, I think the industrials ought to be ashamed of themselves for going on the offensive. I am absolutely infuriated at telling lies to all my constituents and everyone else about what this bill does."

Griesheimer favors building a second nuclear plant and argues Missourians would have to pay more money in the long term if the state runs out of power.

Schaefer says Missouri needs to have this debate about its future energy needs.

Actuality: KSPPOL.WAV

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Description: As a matter of public policy, we've got to look thirty years down the road and are we going to have ample baseload electricity in this state? And at this point, nobody's really looking at that and this is really the first step in looking at that.

Schaefer says there are three main factions who will influence the Senate debate: AmerenUE, industrial consumers, and residential consumers.

From the State Capitol, I'm Elizabeth Billingsley.

Intro: Missouri is closer to a second nuclear power plant as the Senate Commerce Committee moved forward on a bill that would provide more financing options for energy providers. RunTime:0:47
OutCue: SOC

The Senate Commerce Committee voted in favor of bill that could allow AmerenUE to raise its rates in order to build a new nuclear power plant if the Public Service Commission finds that an increase is appropriate.

Senator Joan Bray voted against the bill, saying she favors existing law allowing the PSC to regulate electricity companies.

Senator Kurt Schaefer authored the substitute bill.

Actuality: KSLONG.WAV

Run Time: 00:13

Description: "We do have an obligation to look at long-term energy policy and this is the starting point, this is one part of it. And we've got to get it to the Senate so we can have debate on the floor of where we are going in this state for long-term energy policy."

Schaefer says there are three main factions who will influence the Senate debate: AmerenUE, industrial consumers, and residential consumers.

From the State Capitol, I'm Elizabeth Billingsley.

Intro: As the Senate Commerce Committee voted in favor of a bill that could lead to a second nuclear power plant in Missouri, Senators blast Noranda Aluminum and the AARP for disseminating lies and distortions through PR efforts. RunTime:0:49
OutCue: SOC

The debate over who should pay for a second power plant led to spirited discussion in the Senate Commerce Committee after members' phone lines were flooded in response to commercials run by the Fair Electricity Rate Action Fund.

Senator John Griesheimer says the PR efforts funded by opponents were full of distortions.

Actuality: GRIRANT.WAV

Run Time: 00:19

Description: "I am absolutely infuriated at telling lies to all my constituents and everybody else about what this bill does.

Yeah, it's gonna raise rates, but you ever tell anybody that if we got to buy power when we run out of power like California or Illinois or some of the other states, who's gonna pay? They're going to pay a helluva lot more than this bill does."

The ads suggested that rates would rise by 40 percent if the bill passes, which Senator Kurt Schaefer of Columbia calls "factually inaccurate."

From the State Capitol, I'm Elizabeth Billingsley.