August 1, 2010

Nuclear Investment Means Jobs and Energy Security

By Bill Hite

Energy Security Sooner

There are more than 100 commercial nuclear power plants in operation within the U.S. today, which produce nearly 20% of the nation’s total electric energy consumption. By building just the number of reactors in the current governmental-approval pipeline (26) over the next five to eight years, we would see our nation’s energy supply increase by 5%.

Some would argue that this is a drop in the bucket, but I believe 5% in five years is an impressive growth rate. Without polluting the air, we could be ensuring the availability of electricity as our economy rebounds.

U.S. Nuclear Energy’s Future

Where will the future of nuclear energy take us? A significant achievement of the U.S. nuclear power industry over the past 20 years has been the increase in operating efficiency as a result of improved maintenance. Generation IV reactors are in development to derive 100 to 300 times more energy yield from the same amount of nuclear fuel. Future reactor designs are promised to eliminate almost all waste. I’ve even heard of new nuclear plants having the potential to run off of old nuclear plant waste.

These innovations should be in the plans for not only new plant developments but also for redeveloping the existing ones. Future administrative budgets should open the guaranteed loans to existing plants, allowing them to continue offering nuclear power long into the future.

I would be remiss if I ignored the issues that need to be addressed if we begin a nuclear renaissance. You would have to agree, however, with our commander-in-chief when he said, “If we fail to invest in the technologies of tomorrow, then we’re going to be importing those technologies instead of exporting them. We will fall behind; jobs will be produced overseas, instead of here in the United States of America.” I, too, am unwilling to accept this future.

What new development or technology didn’t have its problems or opposition in its infancy? New technological advances in nuclear energy will be able to address the needs that remain in this industry. We need to embrace this opportunity for new jobs and energy security now.