Nu cle ar En e r g y : A s ol ut i on t o t h e b i g g e st p r o b l e m s

H o w nuc l e a r po w e r c o ul d be t he s o l ut i o n t o de c a r bo ni z i ng t he e ne r g y g r i d — w i t ho ut c o m pr o m i s i ng o ur energy de mands.

By Helena McDonald

T he gl oba l di s c us s i on a r oun d c l i m a t e c ha nge ha s s hi f t e d r a pi dl y i n t he l a s t s e ve r a l ye a r s. W e h a ve a c know l e dg e d t h a t c l i m a t e ch a nge i s a pr e ssi ng c on ce r n , but r e m a i n di vi de d on how b e s t t o a d d r e s s i t . I n t he w a ke o f t he 201 5 P a r i s C l im a t e A g r e e m e nt , c o u n tr i e s h a ve b e g un put ting f o r th c le a r - c ut goa l s f or de c r e a s i ng t he i r c a r bo n e m i s s i on s , a s w e l l a s a va r i e t y of pl a ns f or how t he y m i gh t m e e t t he s e goa l s . S om e of t he s e a r e w h a t o n e w o u l d exp ec t : a n i nc r ea s e d f oc us on r e ne w a bl e e ne r gy . T he une xp e c t e d d a r k ho r s e i n t he s e pl a n s ? N uc l e a r e ne r gy .

Whi l e g r een - e ne r gy s ol ut i on s h a ve a v a l ua bl e pa r t t o pl a y i n t he f i gh t a g a i n s t c l i m a t e c h a nge , s om e o f t he m o r e i m m e di a t e go a l s c a n e a s i l y b e s ol ve d by nu c l e a r e ne r gy. R e ne w a bl e s a r e no t w i t ho ut t he i r pr o bl e m s ; w hi l e t he y a r e be c om i ng c he a p e r , hi gh i ns t a l l a t i on c os t s a nd l a c k of w i de s pr e a d i nf r a s t r uc t ur e m e a n th a t th e i r im p le m e nt a ti on i s q ui t e c os t l y a nd c om p l i c a t e d.

T he t r ut h of gr e e n e ne r gy i s t ha t no c ur r e nt l y e x i s t i ng p l a n i s c om p l e t e l y c a r bo n - z er o . W hi l e s ol a r a nd w i nd pow e r do no t r e l y on f os s i l f u e l s t o f u nc t i on , t he m i ni ng a nd pr o c e s s i ng of r a w p a r t s r e q u i r e c a r bo n - ba s e d ene r g y t o m a i nt a i n. T he f a c t t ha t s ol a r , w i nd , a nd hyd r o p ow e r a r e no t i n c on s t a nt s uppl y but r a t he r va r i a bl e m e a ns t ha t t he s ys t e m s t he y a r e i nc or po r a t e d i nt o r e qu i r e a ba c kup s uppl y of p ow e r , w hi c h i s c ur r e nt l y f os s i l - f u e l s b a se d . N uc l e a r i s a l s o no t com p l e t el y ca r bo n - z e r o ( m i ni ng a nd pr oc e s s i ng of ur a ni u m a nd ot he r f ue l s h a ve a n upf r ont e ne r gy c os t , t oo) , but i t ha s a dr a s t i c a l l y l ow e r ‘ c a r bo n c os t . ’ W he n yo u c om pa r e t he c a r bo n - c os t ( e ne r gy o ut put v e r s us c a r bo n e m i s s i on ) of nuc l e a r a nd r ene w a bl e s , nuc l e a r i s 1/ 3 a s c os t l y a s s ol a r po w e r , a nd t he onl y r e l i a b l y m or e c a r bo n - ef f i c ie n t m e t hod i s hyd r o po w e r .

H yd r o pow e r , how e ve r , c a n no t b e s c a l e d up t o gi ve a n e ne r gy o ut put c om pa r a bl e t o n uc l e a r , a n d t he pr o b l e m o f un r e l i a bl e s uppl y r e m a i n s . W e c a nno t s uppo r t t h e e ne r gy g r i d o n hyd r o pow e r a l one , a nd s o m us t t ur n t o t h e ne xt be s t s ol ut i on . I n t he w a ke of t he P a r i s a gr e e m e nt , bo t h t he I P C C a nd I A E A h a ve r e c om m e nde d n u c l e a r pow e r a s a vi a bl e m e a ns t o s l ow gl oba l c a r bo n e m i s s i on s a nd r e a c h P a r is a g r e e me nt go a ls w it hi n t he a g r eed t im e line .

T h e IP C C ’s vi e w i s s l ow l y b e i ng a do pt e d wo r l dw i de . E ve n b e f or e t he P a r i s A gr e e m e nt , nuc l e a r e ne r gy s ys t e m s ha ve b e e n dr a s t i c a l l y i nc r e a s i ng . I n t he s pa n of 15 ye a r s , F r a nc e r e f a c t or e d i t s e ne r gy gr i d t o b e 70% s uppl i e d by n uc l e a r pow e r , s how i ng t ha t i t ’ s i nc r e di bl y m a na ge a bl e f or ot he r c ou nt r i e s t o do t he s a m e . W he n gi vi ng t he i r o f f i c i a l c lim a t e pl a ns t o t he I NDC , t e n gove r nm e nt s l i s t e d n uc l e a r e xpa n s i on a s pa r t o f t h e i r s tr a te gi e s , 5 o f w hi c h a l r e a dy ha d o p er a t i ng n uc l e a r pr ogr a m s , a nd 5 m or e w i t h pl a ns t o c on s t r uc t r e a c t or s i n t he f ut ur e .

D es p i t e n u c l ea r ’ s gr a dua l l y i nc r e a s i ng po pu l a r i t y, m a n y p e opl e —a nd gove r nm e nt s —a r e he s i ta n t to im p le m e n t it in the i r c l im a t e s tr a te gi e s o r e ne r gy g r id s . F or m a ny pe op l e , nuc l e a r s e e m s t oo da nge r ous t o b e i m p l e m e nt e d; t he r e w a r ds a r e hi gh , but t he r i s k s e e m s t o o g r ea t . T hi s i s pa t e nt l y f a l s e , a r e s ul t o f s e n s a ti on a liz e d s to r ie s bl ow n f a r out of pr opo r t i on.

C om pa r i ng t he r e l a t i ve r i s k s o f pow e r s uppl y m e t hod s , n uc l e a r onc e a ga i n c om e s out on t op . B ot h i n c om pa r i ng t he r a w n u m b er s o f de a t h s , a n d i n c om pa r i ng t he de a t h s / e ne r gy o ut put r a t i o , n uc l e a r i s o r de r s o f m a gni t ude s a f e r t h a n f o s s il f u e ls ( 400 t i me s s a f e r , o n a ve r a ge ) , a nd s a f e r t ha n s ol a r , w i nd , or hyd r o p ow e r . I t s e e m s l i ke a pe r f e c t s ol ut i on: f e w er pe op l e a r e dy i ng , c a r bo n o ut put i s l ow e r e d , a nd m or e e ne r g y i s m a de . S o, i f nuc l e a r i s r e a l l y t hi s m uc h s a f e r , w hy doe s the c o ur t o f publ ic o p in ion s til l m a i n ta in t he ir di s c om f o r t ?

T h e r ea s on i s , of c our s e , t ha t nuc l e a r - r e l a t e d de a t hs a r e s o hi gh l y publ i c i z e d. W he n C he r no b yl m e l t e d dow n o r t he r e w a s a d i s a s t e r a t F uk us h i m a , e ve r yone kne w . I t w a s a c on s t a n t s o ur c e o f m e di a a t t e n t i on ; how a n uc l e a r m i s h a p w a s a l t e r i ng ( o r e n di ng ) t ho us a nd s of live s .

F os s i l f u e l s de a t hs a r e gi ve n no s uc h a t t e nt i on . D i s c ount i ng e ve n t he m i l l i on s t ha t ha ve di e d a nd c on t i nu e t o di e a s a r e s ul t o f a i r po l l ut i on ( a s t hm a s , c a n c e r s , a nd t he l i ke ) , a c c ide n ts in the f o s s i l f u e l ind us tr y a r e r a r e ly s e n s a tion a li z e d i n s uc h a m a nne r . T hous a nds of pe op l e a r e a l l ow e d t o di e , qui e t l y, a s s a c r i f i c e t o a n e ne r gy i ndus t r y t ha t c on t i nu e s t o po i s on t he pl a ne t . T he r e i s n o o ut r a g e . T he r e i s no m e di a a t t e n t i on .

N u c l ea r p o w er i s a l r ea d y i n - us e i n t he U n i t ed S t a t e s ; i t ’ s b e e n p r ov i d i ng r ou g h l y 1/ 5 th o f t he n a t i on ’ s p ow e r s i nc e 2000, a n d U S n uc l e a r o ut put w a s 33% o f t he w o r l d’ s nuc l e a r o ut put i n 2018. T h i nk a bo ut t h a t : e ve r y 5 t i m e s yo u us e s om e t hi ng r un on e l e c t r i c i t y , one o f t ho s e t hi ng s i s pow e r ed b y nu c l e a r . A nd ye t , t he bi g , t e r r i bl e , d a nge r o us c on s e q u e nc e s t h e p u b l i c ex p ec t s h a v e f a i l e d t o m a t er i a l i z e.

T he qu e s t i o n b e c o m e s , t h e n, w ha t t he p r ob l e m i s . I t i s no l onge r a q ue s t i on of w he t he r w e s ho ul d i m p l e m e nt nuc l e a r pow e r ; i t ’ s a l r e a dy be e n done . I n 2 0 12, 94 US pl a n t s w e r e gi ve n 20 - y ea r op e r a t i n g l i c e ns e s . N uc l e a r i s n ’ t goi ng a nyw he r e a nyt i m e s o o n. S o t he r ea l qu e s t i o n i s : w h y a r e n’ t w e a s a c ou nt r y t a ki n g m or e a d va nt a g e of i t ?

W i t h in th e U S , N u c le a r p o w e r i s s ti ll a h ig h ly c o n tr o v e r s i a l to p i c . E ve n a s s om e pl a n t s ’ l i c e n s e s a r e be i ng e xt e nde d , m a ny m o r e a r e b e i ng de c om m i s s i one d , a n d t h er e a r e n o p l a n s t o r ep l a c e t h e m . M u c h of t hi s i s du e t o p u b l i c o p i ni o n; v e r y f ew gove r nm e nt r ep r es e n t a t i v es a r e w il lin g to b e p o s i tiv e a b o u t nu c l e a r w h e n s o f e w o f t h ei r co n s t i t u en t s ar e voi c i ng s uppo r t f o r i t . T he c o ns t r u c t i on of a l o n g - t e r m w a s t e r e p os i t or y i n N e va da ha s r e c e nt l y b een d el a y e d, r e s u l t i ng i n p e r m a n e nt dr y - c a s k s t or a ge a t c u r r e nt l y op e r a t i n g nu c l e a r p l a nt s . T hi s i s i m p r a c t i c a l , a nd n ot a p os i t i v e s i g n f or t he f u t u r e of nu c l e a r e n e r g y i n t h i s c ou nt r y.

I f t h e U S c o nt i nu e s t o r e f u s e t o c r e a t e i nf r a s t r u c t ur e f or nu c l e a r e n e r gy , w e w i l l n o t a c h i e v e t h e s a m e p r o g r es s to w a r d s d e c a r b o n iz a ti o n th a t th e r e s t o f th e p l a n e t w ill . T h o u gh r e s e a r c h s ugge s t s t h a t t h e publ i c i s a bo ut e ve nl y s pl i t on t h e i r op i n i ons t o w a r ds nu c l e a r , i f r e p r e s e nt a t i v e s d o n ot f e e l t ha t t h e i r c o ns t i t u e nt s a r e v o i c i ng t ha t s u p p or t , t he y w i l l n ot s uppo r t i t . M a ny of t h e l e a di ng pr e s i de n t i a l c a n d i d a t es — B er n i e S a n d er s a n d E l i s a b et h W a r r en , f o r ex a m p l e — op p os e d nu c l e a r e n e r g y a s a m e a ns o f c o m b a t i ng c l i m a t e c ha n g e , de s p i t e i t s m a n y p ot e nt i a l a dva nt a g e s . O t he r s , s uc h a s A nd r e w Y a n g, w e r e m or e v oc a l l y i n s u p p or t , t h o u g h t h i s m es s a g e b ec a m e l es s i m p a c t f ul upon Y a ng ’ s e a r l y de pa r t ur e f r om t he r a ce .

G e n e r a lly , w h e n a s k e d a b ou t nu c l e a r , p ol i t i c i a ns w i l l d e f a u l t t o t a l ki n g a b ou t nu c l e a r w e a p o ns , p r ol i f e r a t i on, n e g ot i a t i o ns , a nd d i s a r m a m e nt . N u c l e a r e n e r g y i s , i f a n yt hi n g, a n a f t e r t hou g ht . If w e d o n ot di v or c e t h es e t w o c o n c ep t s , a n d b e gi n c onvi n c i ng pol i t i c i a n s t h a t n uc l e a r e ne r g y i s s om e t hi ng t he y s ho u l d s uppo r t , w e w i l l n o t b e a b l e t o m a k e m e a ni ng f u l c h a nge t ow a r d s i m pr ovi ng t he pl a ne t . N u c l ea r e n er g y i s s a f er , m o r e c o s t - ef f ect i v e , a n d m o r e ca r b on - ef f i c i en t t ha n a ny o t he r pow e r s uppl y m e t hod w e c ur r e n t l y h a ve . I t ha s t he c a p a c i t y t o p r ov i d e m or e p o w e r m or e e a s i l y t ha n a n y ot h e r s ys t e m w e ha v e i n p l a c e . A l l w e ha v e t o d o i s u s e it .

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 E ne r gy- r el a t ed em i s s i o n s m a k e u p t h r ee - qu a r t e r s of gl o b a l gr e e n h ou s e ga s e s ( G H G )

 I A E A o f f i c i a l l y r e c o m m e n d s n u c l e a r a s a l o w - c a r b on s u b s t i t u t i o n f or f os s i l f u e l p l a nt s . ( o r f o s s il f u e l p o w e r p l a nt s e qu i p p e d w i t h c a r b on c a p t u r e a nd s t or a g e ( C C S ) t e c h n ol o g y )

 I n t h e I N D C s u b m i s s i o ns , t e n c ou nt r i e s e x p li c i t ly l i s t e d n u c le a r p o w e r i n th e i r n a tio n a l c lim a t e s tr a te g ie s , i nc l u di n g 5 c ou nt r i e s c u r r e nt l y w i t h nu c l e a r p ow e r p r o gr a m m e s ( A r g e nt i na , C hi na , I nd i a , I s l a m i c R e p u b l i c o f I r a n, J a pa n) , t w o w i t h r e a c t or s u n d e r c o ns t r u c t i o n ( B e l a r u s , U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t es ) , a n d t h r e e p r o s p ec t i v e u s er s ( J or da n, N i g e r , T ur ke y) .

 A l s o, t he t a r g e t s s e t b y C hi na , i n i t s 1 3 t h F i v e Y e a r P l a n, p a ve t h e w a y f or a 5- f ol d i nc r e a s e i n nu c l e a r c a pa c i t y b y 2030 r e l a t i ve t o c ur r e n t l e ve l s .

 A l m os t t w o t h i r ds o f nu c l e a r p ow e r p l a nt s a r e m or e t ha n 3 0 y e a r s ol d, w i t h 6 0 % of t h e m l oc a t e d i n F r a nc e , J a pa n a nd t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

 L a r g e n uc l e a r pow e r pl a n t s h a ve hi gh up - f r o nt c a p i t a l c os t s a nd l o n g l e a d t i m e s , w h i c h a r e c o m m o n t o m a j or i nf r a s t r u c t ur e p r oj e c t s s u c h a s hy dr o e l e c t r i c da m s or a i r p or t s . T h i s m a ke s t he e c onom i c s o f n u c l e a r pow e r pr o j e c t s hi g hl y de p e nde n t on t he c o s t of c a pi t a l , r e q ui r i ng c a r e f ul m a n a ge m e n t a nd a l l o c a t i on of pr o j e c t r i s k s t o s e c ur e f i na nc i n g a t f a vou r a b l e t e r m s .

h ttp s : //w w w . w o r ld - nu c l e a r . or g/ nu c l e a r - e s s e n t ia ls / h o w - ca n - n u c l e ar - c om ba t - c lim a t e - c h a nge . a s px

 N u c l e a r p ow e r p l a nt s p r odu c e n o gr e e n h ou s e ga s e m i s s i o ns du r i ng op e r a t i o n, a nd o v e r t h e c ou r s e of i t s l i f e - c y c l e, nu c l e a r pr odu c e s a b ou t t he s a m e a m ou nt o f c a r b on d i o x i d e - e q u iv a le n t e m i s s io n s p e r u n i t o f e le c tr i c i ty a s w in d , a nd on e - t hi r d of t h e e m i s s i o ns p e r u ni t of e l e c t r i c i t y w h e n c o m p a r e d w i t h s ol a r

 T h e u s e of nu c l e a r e n e r g y t o da y a v oi ds e m i s s i o ns r ou g h l y e qu i va l e nt t o r e m o v i n g o n e - t hi r d of a l l c a r s f r om t h e w or l d’ s r oa ds .

 F r a n c e ge ne r a t e s o ve r 70% o f i t s e l e c t r i c i t y f r om n u c l e a r po w e r . F r a n ce ’ s el e ct r i ci t y s e ct o r car b o n em i s s i o n s a r e 1/ 6 o f E ur o pe a n a ve r a ge . I n 15 ye a r s , F r a nc e s h i f t e d t o nu c l e a r a s m a j or i t y of i t s e l e c t r i c i t y s u p p l y. R e s u l t i ng c onc l us i on : n uc l e a r e ne r gy c a n be e xpa nde d a t t h e s p e e d r e q u i r e d t o c om ba t c l i m a t e c h a nge .

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 C o r y B oo ke r a nd A nd r e w Y a n g s uppo r t e d e xpa n s i on of n uc l e a r e ne r gy c a pa c i t y a s a m e a n s t o c om ba t c l i m a t e c ha ng e

o Y a n g a l s o c i t e d t h or i u m - ba s e d pl a n t s a s be i ng a s a f e r opt i on

 E l i z a b e t h w a r r e n w a s s t a u nc h l y a ga i ns t i t , c i t i n g s t or a ge r i s ks a s t oo b i g o f a pr ob l e m . S h e p l a n n e d o n n o n e w n uc l e a r de ve l o p m e nt a nd s l ow de c om m i s s i oni ng o f U S ’ c ur r e n t n uc l e a r pl a n t s

 B e r n i e S a nd e r s a l s o s t a t e d nu c l e a r w a s t e w a s t oo l a r g e of a p r ob l e m a n d c a l l e d f or i m p l e m e nt i ng o t he r c a r bo n - f r e e e n er g y s o u r c es fi rs t .

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 N u c l ea r p o w er h a s be e n pr ovi d i ng 19 - 20% o f U S ’ e ne r gy s i n c e 2000.

h ttp s : //w w w . t h e l a n c e t. c o m /jo u r n a l s / l a n c e t/a r ti c le /P I I S 0 1 4 0 - 6736( 07) 61253- 7/ f ul l t e xt

 C o m p ari s o n o f d i ffe re n t fo rm s o f c o m m e rc i al p o w e r g e n e rat i o n b y u s e o f t h e f u e l c y c l e m e t h o d s d e v e l o p e d i n E u r o p e a n s t u d i e s s h o w s t h e h e a l t h b u r d e n s t o b e g r e a t e s t f o r p o w e r s t a t i o n s t h a t m o s t p o l l u t e o u t d o o r a i r ( t h o s e b as e d o n l i g n i t e , c o al , an d o i l ) . T h e h e al t h b u rd e n s are ap p re c i ab l y s m al l e r fo r g e n e rat i o n fro m n at u ral g a s , an d l o w e r s t i l l fo r n u c l e ar p o w e r.

 N u c l e ar e n e rg y h as l o w e s t d e at h rat e – i t re s u l t s i n m o re t h an 4 4 2 t i m e s fe w e r d e at h s t h an t h e ‘ d i rt i e s t ’ fo rm s o f c o al ; 3 3 0 t i m e s fe w e r t h an c o al ; 2 5 0 t i m e s l e s s t h an o i l ; an d 3 8 t i m e s fe w e r t h an g as . T o b e c l e ar: t h e fi g u r e s i n t h i s a n a l y s i s w a s b a s e d o n e n e r g y p r o d u c t i o n i n E u r o p e w h e r e a n t i - p o l l u t i o n r e g u l a t i o n a n d t e c h n o l o g i e s a r e a l r e a d y w e l l a h e a d o f m a n y c o u n t r i e s i n t h e w o r l d ; i n t h i s c as e t h e d e at h rat e fro m f o s s i l fu e l s m ay e v e n b e u n d e r s t a t e d.

h t t ps : / / w w w . us a t od a y . c om / s t o r y / ne w s / pol i t i c s / 2018/ 06/ 03/ y uc c a - m ou nt a i n - c ong r e s s - w o r ks - r e vi ve - d o r m a nt - nuc l e a r - wa s t e - d u m p/ 664153002/

h ttp s : //w o r ld - n u c l ea r - n e ws . o r g / Ar t i c l e s / US - publ i c - o p i ni on - ev en l y - s p lit - on- n u c l ea r