Czerwinski effectively opines that the Green Nuclear Deal is a plan for growing nuclear energy to create dignified, high-wage jobs, revive American manufacturing capability, and reestablish ourselves as the global leaders of this critical technology. The loss of manufacturing and rise of the gig economy has left Americans with insecure, low-wage jobs. And investments in strategic sectors elsewhere in the world have left American industries with outdated equipment, capabilities, and attitudes. These are nation-scale problems that will require Americans to set aside their differences and find common ground.
We need a vision that transcends partisan politics and rebuilds America from the bottom up. The construction and operation of nuclear power plants create more jobs than any other type of energy production. And due to the complexity and longevity of nuclear plants, they are high-wage, high-skill jobs that last for generations. Building reactors will revitalize America’s manufacturing base and heavy industry capabilities. The cheap, abundant electricity these plants produce can enable the growth of further industry, creating even more jobs and pulling up wages across the entire economy.
Nuclear power is the most powerful weapon we have in the fight against climate change. It’s the only low-carbon source of energy able to replace fossil fuels. Unlike solar and wind, nuclear can produce large amounts of electricity reliably year-round, regardless of time of day or season. Only nuclear has been proven capable of being scaled up at climate-relevant speeds in major industrialized economies. And nuclear’s ability to reduce emissions extends beyond the electricity sector. Other countries already use nuclear for district heating, generating high-temperature industrial heat, and producing ammonia for fertilizer to decarbonize agriculture.
In the 1970s, France was able to develop the electric-powered TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, “high-speed train”) intercity high-speed rail service around its new nuclear power stations. Now the country’s nuclear fleet is a critical part of its transition to electric vehicles. French nuclear provides abundant, emissions-free power throughout the night, when EVs are often charging.
Nuclear’s environmental benefits don’t stop at air pollution and emissions reductions. Uranium is extremely energy-dense, meaning that very little is required to produce a lot of electricity. A single soda can’s worth could provide all of the energy needed to power the average American’s life. As such, nuclear requires far fewer materials and less land than other generation technologies. This means more land can be set aside for conservation.
Nuclear energy was born in America. The Atoms For Peace program was designed to share U.S. nuclear technology and expertise and electrify power-starved parts of the world. Today the U.S. is allowing China and Russia to dominate nuclear plant construction abroad and closing its nuclear plants at home. More than thirty countries are considering, planning, or starting nuclear power programs. It is in the United States’ best interest to re-establish ourselves as a leader of this critical technology and compete to win the business of emergent nuclear countries.
In the middle of a crisis that demands society-scale action and coordination, a new economic strategy of reindustrialization that builds America’s clean energy economy is more possible than ever. The time for action is now.
That is why I’m launching the Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal. Our nation-wide advocacy effort will articulate a vision for nuclear as the industrial heart of sustainable and enduring American prosperity.
The Green Nuclear Deal’s target — to grow the share of U.S. electricity from nuclear power to 50% by 2050 — is achievable, but only if we take decisive action.
[Note: Read on and see the graphics provided. Together, they make a powerful case for expanding nuclear power.]
Managed & Built by I2M Consulting, LLC | © 2010-
