Dr. Conca reports that across some parts of the U.S., nuclear plants may be closing amid political pressure and warped financial markets, even though they contribute the overwhelming majority of the regions clean power, and are the economic strength of their local economies. As an example, the sad and unnecessary closing of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Station at the end of 2014 led to an increase in fossil fuel use, specifically natural gas, that completely filled the gap. The potential closing of a few more nuclear plants in the region will increase gas use even more.
As all energy experts know, renewables will never replace any of clean power from nuclear lost by the closing of a few nuclear plants. Renewables are having enough trouble replacing significant amounts of coal or keeping pace with demand, and require taxpayer subsidies to get built as well as offering 24/7 service that has to be backed up by grid-power. So natural gas is the economic choice for new electricity generation for now in all regions of the country. America is at a 27-year low in its carbon emissions almost solely because natural gas has been replacing coal. Gains in efficiency and conservation have also helped. But the loss of several nuclear power plants has effectively wiped out the recent progress of renewables on addressing carbon reductions by increasing gas emissions. New York is struggling with this conundrum as it attempts to force the shutdown of some nuclear plants even as it desperately tries to keep others open.
The argument that nuclear is too expensive, and that closing nuclear plants would save money, is absurd. Operating an existing nuclear plant is much more cost-effective than even existing coal and gas plants, and much cheaper than installing any new power plant, even natural gas. So if you close nuclear plants for ideological reasons, close coal plants because of climate change, choose natural gas over all else but prevent associated pipelines you need to Read on ..
Original URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/05/16/natural-gas-is-replacing-nuclear-power-not-renewables/#67c2c43ecdb6
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