by Rich Marcello ·
Friday, October 4, 2024
Nuclear energy has always been a bit of a paradox in the U.S.—it offers clean, abundant energy but also carries the weight of past accidents and lingering safety concerns. Since the 1950s, we’ve recognized its potential to cut carbon emissions and meet our energy needs. However, events like Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima have left many with a fear of radiation and environmental damage, making the public understandably cautious about expanding the number of nuclear power plants. Locally, according to Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, the problematic decommissioning of the Plymouth Nuclear Power Station has raised a number of environmental concerns, including the potential release of radioactive particles into the atmosphere.
Despite these fears, recent progress by Congress and advancements in technology suggest a return to nuclear energy is coming, and soon, probably in the next decade. New types of reactors seem poised to play a crucial role in our fight against climate change.
The debate over nuclear energy centers on a few key points. Safety is a big one, especially after those major accidents. People worry about radiation exposure and contamination, which makes them hesitant about new nuclear plants. The challenge of storing nuclear waste, which stays radioactive for thousands of years, is another central sticking point.
Cost is also a concern. Building new nuclear reactors is expensive and takes a long time, which can make them less appealing from a developmental perspective when compared to cheaper renewable options like solar fields and wind farms. The economic picture gets even more complicated because the price per kilowatt-hour of nuclear energy competes with natural gas, solar energy, and wind energy, which are often less expensive.
There’s also the risk that nuclear technology could be used to create weapons. This requires strict safeguards and international oversight, which can sometimes create tension with expanding civilian nuclear energy programs.
Despite all this, nuclear energy is gaining traction as one tool for addressing climate change. Regardless of the weather, it offers a steady and reliable power source, an advantage over solar and wind. This reliability, along with battery storage, is important for stabilizing the power grid and meeting our growing energy demands.
Plus, nuclear power is one of the most efficient sources of low-carbon electricity. Each nuclear plant prevents millions of tons of carbon dioxide from being released each year by replacing fossil fuel power generation. As countries around the world set ambitious goals for cutting emissions, nuclear’s ability to deliver consistent, large-scale, carbon-free power makes it one interesting option. In many parts of the world, it’s being aggressively implemented. According to the clean energy podcast Catalyst, new nuclear power plants are under development throughout Asia and Europe.
Also, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, new technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactors look promising. SMRs, for example, are designed to be built in factories and assembled on-site, which could make them cheaper and faster to construct. These next-generation reactors also incorporate enhanced safety features, such as passive safety systems that can shut down the reactor without human intervention, making a meltdown impossible. However, spent fuel still needs to be managed.
Congress has taken notice of nuclear energy’s potential and has passed multiple bipartisan laws to support its development. This shows a growing political agreement that nuclear should be part of our clean energy plan. According to www.congress.gov, four nuclear power plant-related bills have become law since 2019.
One significant piece of legislation is the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act, signed into law in 2019. It modernizes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s fee structure and establishes a new licensing process for advanced nuclear reactors. This act reduces regulatory barriers and encourages the development of innovative nuclear technologies to enhance nuclear energy’s safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
The Energy Act of 2020 includes provisions to promote advanced nuclear energy technologies. It provides funding for research, development, and demonstration projects, including advanced reactor demonstrations and additional money to streamline the licensing process for these technologies. The act emphasizes the need for a diversified energy portfolio that includes nuclear power as a key component.
The American Nuclear Infrastructure Act of 2021 also plays a role in supporting the nuclear industry. This act includes measures to support existing nuclear facilities, enhance the resilience of the U.S. nuclear fleet, and promote the use of accident-tolerant fuels. It recognizes the strategic importance of maintaining a robust nuclear energy sector to meet the nation’s clean energy and national security needs.
More recently, the ADVANCE Act of 2024—the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy Act—was passed to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors. This bipartisan legislation focuses on fostering public-private partnerships, enhancing the domestic supply chain for nuclear components, and providing financial incentives for the development of next-generation nuclear technologies.
Nuclear energy is still a complex and debated topic in the U.S., but its ability to provide clean, reliable power on a large scale makes it a potentially important part of the solution to climate change. With support from both sides of the aisle in Congress and new technologies making nuclear safer and more efficient, the future of nuclear energy looks more promising. As we transition to a cleaner energy system, embracing nuclear and renewables will be necessary to achieve a sustainable and dependable energy future. We will need every tool at our disposal to get to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Rich Marcello is a novelist and a member of the Climate Initiative Committee. In writing his latest novel, “The Means of Keeping,” he spent several years researching the climate crisis.