California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to announce this week a requirement that 33 percent of the power sold by California utilities be renewable energy.  (California law already requires that 20 percent of power be renewable by 2010.)  Setting aside questions regarding his authority to establish such a requirement, what is most interesting is that the requirement reportedly will allow utilities to meet the standard in part with nuclear power, in addition to the traditional renewable such as wind, solar and geothermal, among others.

Renewable portfolio standards were conceived in the 1990s primarily as a back door way to try and limit carbon emissions.  Proponents of carbon regulation realized that there was not yet a constituency for regulating carbon, but there might be greater acceptance of requiring renewable energy.  Over time, RPSs became a cause on their own, with proponents treating renewability as if it were the goal itself.  In pursuit of that goal, nuclear power was left out of the portfolio. 

It seems, however, that Governor Schwarzenegger has come to recognize the critical role played by nuclear power.  It provides 20 percent of our power.  It is emission free.  It is baseload, non-intermittent, power.  It is reliable.  And while nuclear fuel is not renewable, there is an ample supply for the foreseeable future.  In short, it is difficult to imagine how one could ensure the availability of clean reliable power for our future without envisioning a role for nuclear power. 

We will wait and see what Governor Schwarzenegger does later this week.  If he does include nuclear power among the means by which utilities can meet the new California requirements, it could set an example for the rest of the nation that could help ensure clean reliable energy for our future.

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