Dan Ervin opines that countries closing nuclear power plants have by doing so also experienced an increase in carbon dioxide emissions. Usually these plants are replaced with fossil fuel units. In addition to increased emissions, the price of electricity has ballooned. Unfortunately, some nuclear power plants in the U.S. are beginning to shut down. There are two main reasons for this:
- The first is misguided energy policies at the state and federal levels.
- The second is low natural gas prices.
However, the price of natural gas has approximately doubled over the last year and is no longer driving this process as in the past. These two factors have damaged the economic value of our fleet of nuclear plants. This issue is of vital importance to Maryland. Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Station generated approximately 37% of the electricity produced in Maryland in 2016. It is the major source of clean, reliable and dispatchable electricity in the state. The term dispatchable is key here, as it means that the electricity is available when customers need it, not just when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. In addition, Calvert Cliffs is one of the top-performing nuclear plants in the country, with an average capacity factor over the past three years that exceeded 93%. With its nameplate capacity of 1,828.7 megawatts, the two-unit plant is the foundation of the Maryland electric supply system.
But these plants face competition from low-cost natural gas and ill-advised state energy policy that overly favors wind- and solar-generated electricity. While experiments with new forms of energy are important, Maryland should not undermine the foundation of a proven and stable electrical generation system. These factors increase the risk of closing the facility over the next several years. Nuclear power is safe, reliable and affordable. It generates large quantities of electricity without polluting the air or emitting carbon dioxide, while providing thousands of jobs and economic benefits. [Anti-nuclear, fear-pandering activists, many of whom are paid by the wind and solar industry to undermine nuclear power on the basis of misinformation and fear of radiation].
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