Fight brewing over prospect of nuclear power plant shutdowns

Fight brewing over prospect of nuclear power plant shutdowns: HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers sympathetic to nuclear power plants are making a push for state action to rescue plants at risk of being shut down by their energy company owners. Four lawmakers calling themselves the Nuclear Energy Caucus released a 44-page report Thursday, calling for action to avoid plants shutting down and warning that shutdowns would devastate communities that depend on the plants' jobs and property taxes. The prospect of bailing out nuclear power plants is spurring a debate over why Pennsylvania ratepayers should foot the cost and whether nuclear power provides an environmental benefit in the age of global warming.