Manchin Just Gave Biden a Path for His Green Goals: ‘I’m Big on Nuclear’
- Nuclear power plants would get tax credit under spending bill
- Manchin-backed plan could prolong operation of existing fleet
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West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, whose opposition is threatening to derail President Joe Biden’s massive social-spending plan, wants to expand at least one of its climate provisions: a tax credit to keep nuclear plants operating.
Manchin, the powerful Democrat from coal- and natural gas-rich West Virginia, backs the credit for nuclear plants that is tucked inside Biden’s Build Back Better legislation. Under the version passed by the House, a credit of as much as $15 per megawatt-hour could be claimed for the next six years. Manchin, whose support is necessary for Senate Democrats to pass the legislation on a party-line vote, wants the tax credit to last 10 years instead, according to three people familiar with the matter.