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With Congress' action, our government is signaling that nuclear energy is a vital part of our country's commitment to a reliable and resilient energy system, a cleaner environment and strengthened national security

Nuclear Power's Downs And Ups



Nuclear Power's Downs And UpsNuclear power is in retreat from Europe to Japan to the US as plants are being shuttered, governments move toward renewables, and key companies face financial troubles. Even some of the industry's biggest boosters believe nuclear is on the way out. 1 With the exception of China and a few other places, most nations are moving away from nuclear—existing power plants across the United States are being shut early, new reactor designs are falling foul of regulators, and public support remains in free fall. Now come the bankruptcies.
Where does this leave greenhouse gas emissions? Japan's emissions have risen to record levels since the post-Fukushima shutdown, and the government has abandoned targets cut them by 2020. In Germany, much of the slack form nuclear closures has been taken up by burning more brown coal, leaving the country that likes to boast about its solar and wind power among the highest CO2 emissions in Europe. Yet even as investment in solar and wind is surging, nuclear power has been the main source of carbon free electricity for decades. “However, in advanced economies, nuclear power has begun to fade, with plants closing and little new investment made, just when the world requires more low carbon electricity,” the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned in a new report that takes stock of the nuclear industry. 2 The IEA says that achieving the goals laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement 'is already a huge challenge,' but without nuclear power it will be vastly more difficult. In 2018, nuclear power accounted for 10 percent of global electricity supply. Hit with stiff competition from cheap natural gas and renewables, nuclear plants in the US have not fared well in recent time. Out of the 66 facilities currently operating in the US, 24 nuclear plants are either scheduled to shut down or likely won't make a profit through 2021. With a total generating capacity of 32.5 gigawatts, these at-risk plants make up more than a quarter of the entire nuclear fleet. 3 Yet, even as many plants close prematurely, there are hints of a turnaround in nuclear energy's future. For one thing, the dominant antinuclear narrative among environmentalists is being challenged from within. In recent years, some eco-pragmatists and climate scientists have begun touting the advantages of zero carbon nuclear energy—and poking holes in overblown hope for renewables. These folks include former NASA climate scientist and current climate activist James Hansen, Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore, and environmental guru (and one time Whole Earth Catalog publisher) Stewart Brand and Micheal Shellenberger. 4 In late 2018, the Union of Concerned Scientists, a long time antinuclear gadfly, announced support for policies that would keep embattled US plants open. Advocacy by pro-nuclear Greens has helped reverse likely shutdowns in Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, and ironically, upstate New York, where three plants along the shores of Lake Ontario had been under threat of closure. And Georgia's Public Service Commission last year moved to support continued construction of the long-delayed Vogtle power plant.

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The biggest push to save nuclear power could come from Washington, D.C.. In September 2019, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Nuclear Eenrgy Leadership Act, a grab bag of initiatives to 'rejuvenate the US nuclear industry' and 'drive innovation in advanced reactors.' The bill aims to streamline approvals for the next generation of nuclear technology and help US companies become globally competitive again. That might be a long shot in a world where China, Russia, and South Korea currently dominate the nuclear business, but it could give a boost to US start-ups developing innovative reactor designs. 4 Congress voted to approve appropriations for fiscal year 2020 that includes $1.5 billion for nuclear energy programs, a 12.5 percent increase from the previous year. 5 This funding reaffirms that nuclear energy is an essential driver in lowering carbon emissions. With Congress' action, our government is signaling that nuclear energy is a vital part of our country's commitment to a reliable and resilient energy system, a cleaner environment and strengthened national security said Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute.

References

  1. Fred Pearce, “http://e360yale.edu/" rel="nofollow">Industry meltdown: is the era of nuclear power coming to an end?”, e360yale.edu, May 15, 2017
  2. Fatih Birol, “Nuclear power in a clean energy system,” Final report, iea.org,, May 2019
  3. Jason Hopkins, “Once critical, environmentalists have changed their tune on nuclear power,” dailycaller.com, November 8, 2018
  4. James B. Meigs, “The nuclear option,” city-journal.org, Winter 2019
  5. Mary Love, “Congress funds nuclear carbon-free energy at historic levels,” nei.org, December 19, 2019


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Jack Dini -- Bio and Archives

Jack Dini is author of Challenging Environmental Mythology.  He has also written for American Council on Science and Health, Environment & Climate News, and Hawaii Reporter.


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