Jesse Jenkins opines that By 2030, the U.S. EPA believes that their regulations on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants will cut carbon emissions from the electricity sector 32 percent compared to 2005 levels. Reaching that goal depends on one big assumption, however - that the aging fleet of 99 nuclear reactors that now supply about one-fifth of the American electricity continues operating. As a new analysis recently published by Third Way makes clear, if existing reactors retire en masse, it could be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to meet the EPA carbon reduction goals. And there is simply nothing in the EPA rule to prevent nuclear retirements from ruining the American climate progress.
To reach the so-called Clean Power Plan emissions goals, the EPA expects fossil fueled power plants to get more efficient, relatively clean natural gas to displace a lot of coal-fired power, as well as a big surge in renewable energy generation. The Clean Power Plan emissions reduction goals are here, but some say they are unrealistic goals. At the same time, EPA projection of a 32 percent decline in power sector emissions is just that - a projection. The Clean Power Plan does not actually cap total power sector emissions. To give states flexibility, EPA offers three different ways to comply with the Clean Power Plan but the core regulation is a limit on the average emissions rate (in pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour) for existing fossil-fueled power plants in each state.
In essence, carbon-free electricity from existing nuclear power plants forms the critical foundation upon which further progress towards a lower-carbon power system is supposed to build. Take away that foundation, and the whole project could crumble. Instead of cutting carbon 32 percent below 2005 levels, emissions could soar due to nuclear retirements, undermining the progress achieved by the Clean Power Plan regulations on fossil fueled power plants.
URL withdrawn?: https://www.energycentral.com/jessejenkins/2266234/nuclear-retirements-would-sabotage-clean-power-plan-carbon-goal
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