Congressional hearing puts focus on struggling Pa. nuclear industry | News | witf.org

Congressional hearing puts focus on struggling Pa. nuclear industry | News | witf.org: FirstEnergy's Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pa. is scheduled to retire early, in 2021. (Reid Frazier/StateImpact Pennsylvania) (Pittsburgh) -- A Congressional hearing near Pittsburgh Friday highlighted the plight of the nation's nuclear industry, which has struggled to compete against cheap natural gas and renewables. The hearing was held less than a mile from Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport. The Beaver County plant, owned by FirstEnergy, is slated to close in two years, barring government action. Three Mile Island outside Harrisburg is also scheduled to close before its operating license expires. Experts testified before a House Science, Space, & Technology subcommittee that nuclear energy is important in limiting air pollution from the power sector, and for national security. They said it's also key in the fight against global warming. A recent UN report said the world needs to cut carbon emissions drastically to prevent devastating climate effects in...