Expanding Nuclear Power
Posted September 30, 2009 at 9:07 am 
Filed in: Advocates for nuclear power in Germany won a decisive victory this week as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU-CSU (center-right group) and new ally, the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP), begin governing. Throughout the election campaign, the major energy issue was a law enacted in 2000 by the center-left SPD and the Green Party of Germany that restricted the operating lifetimes of nuclear power plants to 32 years. The two nuclear-friendly groups appear very likely to amend the current law and extend this cap.
Supply: Germany and many other European countries rely heavily on Russia for their natural gas needs. If nuclear power plants were to shut down, additional natural gas would almost certainly be required—supplies which some have suggested are running out and therefore, given Russia controls the world’s largest reserves, are likely to become more expensive. This leaves Germany susceptible to (a) large natural gas price fluctuations over time, (b) disputes and fines associated with not meeting natural gas contract requirements, and (c) natural gas delivery concerns due to frictions between Russia and other Eastern European states like Ukraine and Belarus.
Demand: Germany is a leading proponent of clean energy and nuclear power is the most promising technology available for generating dispatchable power at scale without carbon emissions. It can therefore (a) advance the national push to reduce carbon emissions from electricity generation, (b) provide reliable and domestic energy for decades, and (c) help meet growing electricity demand.
Extending the lifetimes of these plants is important, and construction of the latest, most efficient reactors would be another significant step forward. However, Germany currently has no planned or proposed nuclear reactors expected to be operational by 2030. Here in the United States we suffer similar foreign energy dependencies that are deeply rooted in our economy and recent history has also seen us question whether nuclear power is the answer. No new nuclear plant has been completed and brought on line since 1996, no new nuclear plant ordered after 1977 was completed and brought on line and concerns are often raised with regards to safety, waste disposal and cost. Nevertheless, like in Germany, we appear to be at the cusp of opportunity.
And we must take it a step further: For the first time in decades, popular opinion is clearly on the industry’s side and a majority of Americans favor the use of nuclear energy to provide electricity. In addition, while there is but one currently under construction, there are now 30 planned or proposed nuclear reactors nationwide. U.S. electricity demand is forecast to grow by 26 percent from 2007 to 2030. It appears this progress in nuclear energy is coming at an opportune time and it should be maintained to help the nation securely meet its growing need for power.
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