Building Low-Carbon Resilient Electricity Infrastructures with Nuclear Energy in the Post-COVID-19 Era - 2020

Nuclear Power Industry

NEA has produced a series of briefing summaries. This is an introduction to the fourth one:

• Electricity security is an essential public need, at the same level as food security and access to health care.
• Nuclear energy is a key contributor to electricity security and already contributes positively to building a low-carbon resilient infrastructure at the plant and system levels.
• Nuclear energy, both new nuclear projects and the long-term operation of existing reactors, can play a key role in the post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts by boosting economic growth in the short term, while supporting, in a cost-effective manner, the development of a low-carbon resilient electricity infrastructure in
  the long term.

What’s the problem?
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of electricity security in modern societies, bringing it to the same level as food security or access to health care. Electricity is indispensable to ensure the smooth operation of essential economic activities and to facilitate the continuity of business and recreational activities that have moved online, thus preserving the continuous working of the economy and social stability. While the disruption of many economic sectors has resulted in a sharp decline in global demand, the strategic importance of a reliable electricity supply has become apparent during the lockdowns imposed due to COVID-19. This underlines the fact that electricity, more than ever, is not a “normal good”, but an essential service of public interest. Therefore, the underlying physical infrastructure that allows access to 24/7 electricity needs to be considered as a critical asset that must be prepared to withstand and recover from unexpected events.