The construction of a new $10-billion nuclear reactor in Maryland seem to be dead after Constellation Energy told the Dept. of Energy it is no longer interested in negotiating a federal loan guarantee to support the project. In a letter to DOE, Constellation said it was unable to continue negotiations after it was presented with a “shockingly high estimate” of the fee it would have to pay to obtain the $880-million loan. “Such a sum would clearly destroy the project’s economics or the economics of any nuclear project, for that matter, says Constellation Vice Chairman Michael Wallace.