Where Does Nuclear Power Fit in our Future?

Uranium (Nuclear Minerals) / Nuclear Power - Economics, Design, & Industry

Date posted: 05/18/15

jed Babbin opines that the debate over nuclear power does not usually appear on the front pages, but when it does, it tends to be swamped by mythology and fact-free politics. One of the many things Americans take for granted is the cheap and plentiful supply of electricity. How long our electricity supply remains so will probably depend on the future of nuclear power generation in America. But what Americans may not realize is that nuclear power itself is as sustainable and inexpensive as any power source. So why is not America investing in nuclear energy? Our country uses about 25 per cent of the electricity used in the world. Today, 99 nuclear power plants operating in 30 U.S. states generate just under 20 percent of total electricity supply. And yet, as many as 25 of the 99 reactors may be shut down in the next five years. Moreover, the federal Energy Information Administration (FEI) predicts that about 20 per cent of our coal-fired electricity plants may also be closed down by 2020. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., says the coal closings could be replaced by 48 new 1,259 megawatt nuclear reactors. However, it is not very unlikely that those reactors will be built. Advocates of nuclear power point out that as the American population and economy grow, so must the electricity supply. They say that such growth must result in a renaissance in nuclear power because it is safe, efficient and lacks carbon emissions. They say, correctly, that nuclear power is cheaper than renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.