Are we Witnessing the Rebirth of Nuclear?

Any discussion about nuclear energy elicits passionate responses from supporters and opponents. Opponents will quickly tell you that nuclear is simply too expensive and takes too long to build. Supporters will as quickly say that today’s nuclear isn’t your grandparents’ nuclear.

Both sides have valid arguments, which is why we need to take a second look at nuclear. To reach our net zero goals we need the type of 24/7 power that nuclear can provide, so it only makes sense to determine if the cost and development issues can be resolved.

Here’s a sample of recent events that tell me that nuclear will get that second look:

At COP28 24 countries backed a Ministerial Declaration calling for the tripling of global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Some of the key countries included France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the United States.

John Kerry – President Biden’s former climate envoy – stated “you can’t get to net-zero 2050 without some nuclear.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, is an “indispensable solution” to efforts to curb climate change. And last year Macron pledged to build as many as 14 new reactors as part of a “renaissance” of the atomic energy industry.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects to receive 25 licensing applications over the next five years for small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced reactors. In addition, the NRC is reviewing 16 applications to extend the life of existing reactors.

California’s Public Utility Commission recently voted to keep its last nuclear power plant - Diablo Canyon – operating for an additional five years. 

Why?

The only way to replace the lost power from the plant’s closure - which equals 9% California’s total power generation - would have been with fossil fuel-powered plants.

And finally, and perhaps most important, is that public opinion on nuclear is changing. According to Pew Research, a growing number of Americans look favorably on nuclear power. Support now stands at 57%, up from 43% in 2020. Not only that, nuclear is one topic that members of both political parties seem to agree upon. Among Republicans support for nuclear has risen from 51% in 2016 to 67% today. For Democrats support has gone from 38% in 2016 to 50% in 2023.

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