Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, New York

The Shoreham Nuclear Plant is one of a few in the nation which were built, at great expense, but never used. During the plant's protracted construction which lasted from 1973 until 1984, and ended with the construction of an 820MW reactor, numerous safety, regulatory, design, construction, and financial malfeasance issues arose, as well as lots of opposition from activists, and locals, who were concerned about the lack of a suitable evacuation plan, in the event of an incident. The plant's originally estimated cost of less than $100 million, swelled to $5.5 billion, making it then one of the most expensive nuclear power plants in the U.S. In 1992, its owner, the Long Island Lighting Company, gave up, and sold the plant to the Long Island Power Authority for $1.00, to be decommissioned. By 1994, the plant's decommissioning had been completed, at a cost of $181.5 million, though the site still has most of its structures still in place. The plant is located on Long Island's north shore, and a number of alternative uses have been proposed for the site, including a cargo port, a gas-fired power plant, a solar panel manufacturing plant, and a state park.