Jarret Adams opines that the agreement to close the Indian Point Energy Center north of NYC was a great loss. The latest in a string of closure announcements, Indian Point is felt widely because of its high-profile, its record, and proximity to the world-leading financial center. As many as 60% of the 99 U.S. reactors could shut down by 2030. But today, only four are under construction. The only way to change this trajectory is to convince more Americans that nuclear energy makes sense (But this should not be voted on. Such decisions should be based on what makes business sense).
But we are not doing enough to earn more supporters and remain too focused on finding technical solutions. Nuclear energy produces, by a wide margin, the largest portion of the U.S. carbon-free power. It is the safest (by record) and most reliable source of electricity (by history). The reality is that every time a nuclear plant shuts down, the power that replaces it is less reliable, produces more emissions, and costs more. But too few people know this or care. That is what is really driving nuclear energy backward. The industry has not invested enough in explaining to people why they should value this important technology. The same thing is happening in other countries with established nuclear fleets.
If the U.S. nuclear industry falls apart, others will follow. Led by engineers, the industry would rather find an engineering solution to a challenge than one involving marketing and public relations. When opponents claim nuclear plants are not safe enough, the industry makes an effort to make them even safer, even though nuclear energy is already safest resource (by history and record). This extra effort, of course, increases their costs...all related to their fear of radiation. When critics say that nuclear is too expensive (and most vocal critics belong to organisations pursuing legal and regulatory actions to make it more so), the industry has to pursue costly, new initiatives.
Original working URL: http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/V-Whats-really-killing-Americas-nuclear-plants-30011701.html
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