Nuclear Plants in the Path of Hurricane Sandy (And Anti-Nuclear Activists): D, ETR, EXC, PEG & PPL

Anti-nuclear activists and the media have apparently wasted no time to try and get people panicked about the 26 nuclear plants in the path of Hurricane Sandy but nevertheless, investors might want to note that its nuclear or utility stocks like Dominion Resources (NYSE: D), Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG) and PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) that own those nuclear plants. Specifically, the media has picked up that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had issued an alert regarding Exelon Corporation’s Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station BUT the alert is the second-lowest in a four-tiered warning system. Hence, there is no need for residents to panic about a Fukushima like meltdown but investors might want to be aware that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission is also apparently watching the following nuclear plants owned by the following stocks:

• Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in Lacey Township, NJ; Exelon Corporation
• Salem Nuclear Power Plant and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Station, in Hancocks Bridge, NJ; Exelon Corporation (47%) and Public Service Enterprise Group (57%)
• Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNPP) in Lusby, MD; CENG, a joint venture between Exelon Corporation and Électricité de France
• Limerick Generating Station in Limerick Township, PA; Exelon Corporation
• Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in Delta, PA; Exelon Corporation (50%) and Public Service Enterprise Group (50%)
• Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI), in Middletown, PA; Exelon Corporation
• Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, in Salem Township, PA; PPL Corporation
• Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC), in Buchanan, NY; Entergy Corporation
• Millstone Nuclear Power Station, in Waterford, CN; Dominion Resources

With the above in mind, here is a little bit more information about the utility stocks and their nuclear power plants that will no doubt face increased scrutiny when Hurricane Sandy has long sense blown over:

• Dominion Resources (NYSE: D). Dominion Resources is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,400 megawatts of generation, 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline and 6,300 miles of electric transmission lines serving the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Dominion Resources also operates Kewaunee Power Station in Carlton, WI; Millstone Power Station in Waterford, CT; North Anna Power Station in Louisa County, VA; and Surry Power Station in Surry County, VA.
• Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR). Entergy Corporation owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity and delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy Corporation portfolio also includes more than 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, meaning its one of the nation’s leading nuclear generators; with its plants in the Northeast including the Indian Point Energy Center and the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant in New York, the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Massachusetts and the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vermont. In addition, Entergy Corporation has been impacted by Hurricane Sandy in other ways - namely it has rescheduled its third-quarter earnings conference call to November 5 from October 30.
• Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). Exelon Corporation is the largest owner and operator of nuclear power plants in the USA with 10 generating power plants and 17 reactors located in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Specifically, Exelon Corporation’s Oyster Creek Generating Station near the New Jersey shore began operating in 1969 as the first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant in the country while the Salem Nuclear Power Plant produces enough electricity to power more than 2 million homes. In addition, Exelon Corporation’s other East Coast nuclear plants include three nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania (Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Limerick Generating Station and Three Mile Island) plus the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland (the first plant in the United States to earn 20-year extensions of its operating licenses from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission).
• Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG). Public Service Enterprise Group is a diversified New Jersey based energy company and its one of the ten largest electric companies in the US. Public Service Enterprise Group‘s nuclear division operates the Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations in Lower Alloways Creek, NJ plus its part owner of the Peach Bottom Nuclear generation station in Delta, PA.
• PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). PPL Corporation includes seven operating utilities delivering electricity and natural gas to more than 10 million customers in the USA and the UK plus it has 19,000 megawatts of generation coming from its power plants in Kentucky, Montana and Pennsylvania. PPL Corporation operates the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Pennsylvania plus its proposing the nearby Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant but a final decision about the later project will not be made for several years.

The Bottom Line. Don’t pay any attention to scary stories about nuclear plants being threatened by hurricanes like Hurricane Sandy. Instead, pay attention to what happens in the aftermath of the storm as Dominion Resources, Entergy Corporation, Exelon Corporation, Public Service Enterprise Group and PPL Corporation and their nuclear plants face more scrutiny from regulators – especially if the current incumbent in the White House remains there.