AREVA Picks Idaho Not Tri-Cities for New Nuclear Facility

AREVA Picks Idaho Not Tri-Cities for New Nuclear Facility

Tools

Story Published: May 6, 2008 at 5:43 PM PST

By Molly Kelleher

Video
RICHLAND - A multi-billion dollar facility for AREVA was up for grabs and Tri-Cities didn't get it.

It's a big decision and a big blow. AREVA picked Idaho Falls for a new plant instead of the Tri-Cities. That's a thousand jobs going to them not us.

"AREVA was a perfect opportunity and it was blown," said Gerald Woodcock.

It's all for clean energy, to turn weapons-grade uranium into the kind that can produce power. AREVA was looking for a nuclear-based community, but that's not all they were after. They wanted tax incentives and Idaho delivered.

"This is typical example of west side has no clue what we're doing over here and has not care to find out," said Woodcock.

Woodcock is a retired Hanford worker. He now sits on the Eastern Washington Nuclear Society. He blames the Governor and the legislature for this decision.

Idaho lawmakers extended the sales tax exemption for nuclear equipment and they capped property tax values for AREVA.

In a statement Tuesday, congressman Doc Hastings blasted Washington state lawmakers saying: "I'm very disappointed... we got no leadership from Olympia."

But he goes on to say "We've got to be concerned about the 600 jobs at AREVA's current Richland facility."

We went to AREVA and called their corporate offices. They insist they're not going anywhere. They've invested $40 million in the Richland facility in the last five years.

"This facility has been here for a long time and we'll continue to be here for a long time. We're still going to get the product but instead of it coming from across the street we're getting it from Idaho," said Richland's AREVA manager, Bob Link.

The overall theme here is disappointment. Even the AREVA workers in Richland admit they're disappointed.

Current Weather

Icon
Current Temp 41.0 °F
Mostly Cloudy and Breezy
Video
More Weather

Upload directly from your mobile device.

Learn how

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

On Demand