Economic Boom or Environmental Bust? The Perry Nuclear Power Plant

In October of 1971, CEI formally announced plans to build a nuclear plant in North Perry.  City and county officials expressed cautious optimism about the plans.  While safety was a primary concern, many elected leaders could barely contain their excitement about the economic benefits (job creation, tax revenue, infrastructure improvement) that were expected to come with the plant.

Less than one month after CEI selected North Perry as the site for its new nuclear power plant, a community meeting with CEI officials drew 400 residents.  The CEI officials ensured those in attendance that radiation discharge from Perry "would be too small to measure and would have no measurable affect on anyone."  Satisfied the residents ended the two hour meeting with a generous round of applause for the CEI officials.