Friends of the Earth has filed a petition with the South Carolina Public Service Commission urging it to reject a request Duke Energy for approval of “preconstruction costs” associated with planning two new nuclear reactors in Cherokee County.

The petition was filed on behalf of South Carolina Friends of the Earth members who are at risk of incurring higher energy costs from the reactors’ construction and who are also concerned about potential environmental harm. The “petition to intervene” requests that Friends of the Earth be allowed to become a party of record in Duke Energy’s application process, noting that “Friends of the Earth advocates the pursuit of less risky and less costly alternatives including conservation and efficiency over the unjustified pursuit of costly, dangerous, and unreliable new reactors which create yet more nuclear waste for which there is no safe disposal option.”

Learn more here.

UPDATE: Friends of the Earth has also intervened against South Carolina Electric and Gas’ request to raise electricity rates so it can build new reactors.  The hearing on this intervention is likely to take place December 1.