Co‑ops and environmental advocates press for clear cost, transparency and local protections

Kevin Yingling of Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) briefed the task force on the distribution co‑op perspective. He described DEC as a member‑owned, not‑for‑profit cooperative serving meters in Kent and Sussex counties and said members ask three core questions about any generation: is it safe, how will it affect bills, and who benefits?

Yingling said local economic benefits could include skilled construction jobs, permanent operations positions and tax revenue, but that siting decisions would shape communities for generations because nuclear plants have long operational lives. He noted that many members are open to nuclear if it clearly benefits them, but that transparency and early engagement are essential.

In public comment, Dustin Thompson, director of Sierra Club Delaware, cautioned that Delaware’s lack of in‑state natural gas production and regional congestion make new generation location and dispatch outcomes different than in other states; he warned that utility ownership changes the risk allocation and that oversight is needed to protect ratepayers if projects are utility‑owned or rate‑based.

Task force members asked DEC and ODEC representatives whether a cooperative or joint ownership model could make projects more viable; DEC/ODEC staff said group ownership and long‑term contracts can change economics, but they also said Delaware faces structural disadvantages (parcel sizes, transmission congestion) when compared with adjacent states. The group requested a concise list from utility staff enumerating the practical capabilities and constraints developers should expect to demonstrate.

No policy votes were taken. The task force will re‑convene with the facilitator in June to narrow options and consider next steps.