Dr. Conca opines that the U.S. was the dominant force in the global civilian nuclear trade for decades, enjoying both the rewards and responsibilities that come along with that position. As pioneers in nuclear energy, the U.S. was able to develop world-class products and establish a successful export regime in the 1970s and 1980s. We are still making profits off of some of those earlier deals. Today, America has a multi-billion dollar nuclear energy industry that employs a domestic workforce of more than 100,000 people. At the same time, the U.S. has used its commercial leadership to establish global security standards. We have long been the largest contributor to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear non-proliferation watchdog.
The U.S. government also helps other nations with regulatory, safety, security, and innovation needs, even when there is no commercial benefit. We consistently put the safety and security interests of the global community first. This is what it means to be a responsible world leader. In recent decades, however, the U.S. has lost its edge as a global exporter. Our products have a harder time competing with all-inclusive deals offered by Russian state-supported industry and now face additional challenges from lower-cost Chinese clones. The U.S. needs a new policy strategy. Russia offers all-inclusive packages for new nuclear plants, covering the cost of constructing the reactor, training employees, operating the facility and even taking back used fuel.
It is difficult to compete with that without direct support from our government. Russian and China have another advantage in the competition for market share ... they choose not to adhere to the same environmental standards as the U.S. and other top producers.
Original URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/05/20/the-geopolitics-of-the-global-nuclear-landscape/#21acdbb65f68
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