Old and New Small Nuclear Reactors will Help Cut Carbon

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

Date posted: 05/23/16

Paul Wilson opines that as awareness of the threats of global climate change grows in the minds of U.S. citizens, the role for low-carbon nuclear energy will be clear. The U.S. fleet of about 100 nuclear reactors now provides about 67% of all low-carbon electricity, and increasing use of nuclear energy to provide grid-power to wind and solar energy will be vital in the years ahead. The U.S., a world leader in nuclear energy, should keep existing nuclear plants in operation, both at home. Though most U.S. reactors have sought license renewals, many safe and efficient plants are at risk of being prematurely shut down in a shortsighted energy market that does not recognize the long-term benefits of low-carbon nuclear energy. As some environmentalists (aka nuclear adversaries) begin to recognize the value of nuclear energy, others continue to call for its elimination despite clear evidence that closing nuclear power plants leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions and more air pollution, and higher costs. This was the story for the Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant near Green Bay, and we must work to ensure it is not the story for others. Among sources of low-carbon electric power generation, nuclear energy is the only one that has demonstrated the ability to be deployed rapidly enough to halt and eventually reverse the buildup of carbon in the atmosphere. A new generation of small modular reactors (SMRs), designed to compete with natural gas and offer more reliability than solar and wind power, will further enhance the ability of nuclear energy to make a difference. Ranging from 50 to 300 MWs, and similar in size to the reactors that power U.S. nuclear submarines, small modular reactors can be built centrally in factories and shipped by truck or rail to nuclear sites for a fraction of the cost of a large power plant. Each power plant will be able to add up to 12 modules as they are needed, spreading out the cost more naturally as electricity demand grows. Read on ..