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Four Victoria leaders made a recent trip to Washington, D.C. , to work to bring a nuclear power plant to the area. Mayor Will Armstrong, Victoria Economic Development Corp. executive director Dale Fowler, County Judge Don Pozzi and Chamber of Commerce president Randy Vivian boarded a plane Feb. 12 for a four-day trip to let elected officials know Victoria is interested in Exelon. In late June, Warrenville, Ill.-based Exelon Nuclear announced plans to construct a dual-unit nuclear power facility in either Matagorda or Victoria County. In December, Victoria was named the primary site for the venture. The company has not yet decided, however, to build in Victoria County. The Victorians met with Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, Congressman Ron Paul and numerous others during the visit, Armstrong said. He said they were well-received. Everyone they visited, he said, knew what the Lone Star State faces in upcoming years. "(Texas Department of Transportation) says the state will double in size in the next 20 to 25 years," Armstrong said. "There will be a tremendous need for sustainable power. This is not against wind energy or solar energy, but we need sustainable power." The driving force behind the meeting was making sure elected officials knew Victoria not only wanted Exelon in the area, but that the city wants everything done correctly, Vivian said. That includes everything from environmental factors to the way the workforce is engaged, he said. "We're going to be watching how it's done and will make sure they do due diligence," Vivian said. "And we will do due diligence in making sure the project is being done the right way." But, Fowler noted, the excursion was no different than it would have been for any other large company considering a move to Victoria. "We routinely work on cultivating our relationships with both federal and state officials, specifically so that we would have access to them when we have projects," he said. Such open dialogues are important, Pozzi said, especially when they involve a project like Exelon. If plans went through, the project would bring 600 to 800 permanent jobs to the area and would have a tremendous economic impact. "We're going to stay on top of it," he said. "Rarely a day passes where we're not involved in doing something" involving the project.

Allison Miles is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6511 or amiles@vicad.com.