May 1, 2011

Nuclear Sneak Attack

By  Dr. Robert Peltier, PE

A renewed attack on nuclear power immediately followed the March 11 catastrophe at the six-unit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex in Japan. At least one legislator and a multitude of anti-nuclear groups have demanded that the U.S. cease approval of all new nuclear plants for the foreseeable future and/or close our Mark I boiling water reactor (BWR) plants. This knee-jerk response adds nothing substantive to the nuclear safety debate. (Be sure to read our cover story for more on this issue.)

Congressman Edward Markey (D-Mass.) released a statement on April 6 that gave his version of a nuclear plant safety program: “I have introduced [March 29] legislation, the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of 2011, to impose a moratorium on all pending NRC licenses and re-licenses in light of the need to fully understand the safety risks and include remedies into our own regulations.” Markey, a long-time opponent of nuclear power, is using the Japanese accident to sway public opinion away from our most reliable source of electricity while deftly ignoring the industry’s significant safety record and history of continuous safety improvements.

As background, 31 states have nuclear power plants. These 104 plants (totaling about 100 GW) represent 10% of the nation’s total installed generating capacity yet are producing 20% of the electricity consumed each year. Of those 104 reactors, the 23 General Electric Mark I reactors (supplying about 4% of the nation’s megawatt-hours) are from the same reactor family as Fukushima Daiichi’s reactors. To date, 21 of these 23 reactors have already received license renewals for another 20 years of operation. They include the controversial Vermont Yankee, whose license renewal was issued on March 21, five years after its renewal application was filed.