Resources & Stats
July 2007
Nuclear ‘Re-Emerging as Power Option’
Nuclear technology “is re-emerging as a power generation option in the face of concerns about climate change, energy demand growth and the relative cost of competing technologies.” So concludes a new report from the Keystone Center.The nonprofit organization facilities cross-sector dialogues on pressing environmental, energy and public health issues. It undertook the report, “a joint fact-finding on nuclear power,” to assess nuclear energy amid growing discussion—in policy circles and among the general public—of the technologies appropriate role in the nation’s energy future.
The 27-member team included representatives from environmental groups, state regulators, the electric utility industry and consumer advocates. Duke Energy, Entergy, Exelon, GE, National Wildlife Federation, Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Union of Concerned Scientists were among the entities represented.
The group found that “on balance, commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. are safer today.”
Also In This Issue:
Two Companies Explore New-Reactor Options
Two energy companies are exploring options to build new nuclear power plants. Exelon Nuclear selected two possible sites in southeast Texas for a potential new plant, while PPL Susquehanna took preliminary steps to build a third reactor at its Susquehanna plant in Pennsylvania.
Nuclear Technology Helps Capture Saturn’s Glory
Saturn and its many rings came into brilliant focus when NASA’s Cassini spacecraft sent a series of images across 800 million miles. Nuclear-powered instruments onboard the spacecraft made the data transfer possible.
Bush Calls for More Nuclear Plants
For the third time in his presidency, George Bush toured a nuclear power plant, where he reiterated the administration’s support for the clean-air electricity source. “We need nuclear power to play a greater role in our future,” the president said.