Nuclear Power
Facts and Figures
- Nuclear power produced 19.3% of the U.S. electricity supply in 2005 (Energy Information Administration);
- A plant brought online in 2015 is expected to produce power for about 5.91 cents per kilowatt hour (Energy Information Administration);
- Known uranium reserves would only supply worldwide energy needs for 5-25 years using current technologies (David Goodstein).
Cost of Increased Use 5
Nuclear is cost competitive to operate compared to current fossil fuel plants in production, but highly capital intensive to build upfront.
Environmental Impact 3
Beyond safety concerns and depleted uranium disposal, there is little negative environmental impact to successful nuclear power use.
National Security 3
There is a remote risk that nuclear power installations could serve as targets for terrorist attacks.
Implementation 10
Nuclear power is one of the more cumbersome, time consuming energy sources to bring online.
Political Toxicity 8
Because of past safety failures, nuclear power remains unpopular with the public. But in view of technological improvements and growing concern over the national energy supply and environmental crises, sentiment may be slowly shifting.
Pros of Use
- Nuclear power is a fairly environmentally friendly source for electric power generation.
Cons of Use
- Nuclear plants take 10-15 years to permit and construct, and are therefore not a useful short term solution;
- Uranium is a finite resource, and any increase in its use would probably cause significant price hikes;
- While fairly mitigated as nuclear reactor technology has matured, there is always the threat of radiation exposure for communities hosting a nuclear plant;
- Breeder reactor technologies extend the useful life of uranium, but create weapons-grade, highly toxic waste.
- Nuclear power plants may be the target of terrorist attacks;
- Plans for safe storage of large amounts of spent uranium are not established.
Barriers to Future Use
- Nuclear power generation confronts significant regulatory barriers, as federal permits must be obtained to commission any new nuclear plants in the U.S.;
- Public sentiment is currently not in favor of nuclear installations due to past safety concerns and compromises;
- Disposal of nuclear waste has not adequately been addressed.
Incentives/Technology Breakthroughs Needed
- Breeder reactor technology would help considerably to extend the useful life span of uranium supplies;
- If Americans choose to rely on nuclear energy, regulatory processes must be streamlined and the environmental friendliness of nuclear power acknowledged monetarily;
Most Important Fact
Nuclear power is not a viable short term solution, as it takes 10-15 years to bring a plant online in the U.S. Given the limited supply of uranium, it might not be a viable long-term option, either.
Bottom Line
While there will always be a risk, the safety of new nuclear installations is much greater than in the 80′s and 90′s when public perception turned against nuclear power after several highly public failures. To be sure, nuclear installations are not a short term solution, as conception to power generation takes 10-15 years due to a cumbersome federal permitting process. But if nuclear power is used to contribute significantly to the U.S. energy portfolio, then significant issues such as uranium waste, uranium supply, and power plant life spans will need to be addressed.
