The premature destruction of the nuclear plants would reduce Ohio's energy diversity, worsen air pollution, and raise electricity prices.

The Ohio legislature is considering a proposal to protect consumers from this outcome by creating "zero emission credits," which would appropriately compensate nuclear energy for not emitting carbon dioxide or other air pollutants. Illinois and New York recently approved similar measures to keep their nuclear plants running.

The Ohio proposal would add about 8 cents a day to a typical residential electricity bill. But closing the reactors would almost certainly cost consumers more in the long run. The plants are struggling financially today because the price of natural gas has fallen so far that it is - for now - cheaper than the reactors, assuming you do not value clean air or reliability. The problem is that once the nuclear plants close, they cannot be restarted. The shutdown decision is permanent, even if historically low natural gas prices may not be.