The great event of the nuclear calendar for 2011 was the earthquake and tsunami that hammered three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. As with all accidents or even incidents, nuclear is held to a standard of safety orders of magnitude stricter than is applied to any other industrial activity, including other big energy undertakings, like oil refining, chemical production and transportation, and aviation. The suspicion that falls upon nuclear technology is not only unfair – it is uneven.
Latest Nuclear Energy Industry News
Nuclear power: The case for a safe, alternative energy source
The Washington Times
by: Mario Salazar
December 28, 2011
Nuclear energy is relatively cheap to use and produces less environmental and public health impact than fossil fuels. Unfortunately, high profile events have given nuclear power a bad reputation. However, every day we read about gas explosions, car fires, and many other accidents in which fossil fuels were at least contributors. Every energy source has built in dangers. There’s no such thing as safe energy, but relatively safe. And nuclear power is relatively safe.
Generating electricity and jobs
The Bellingham Herald
by: Christine Todd Whitman
December 22, 2011
As state leaders struggle to meet rising energy demand in a sluggish economy, some are embracing nuclear energy as a solution that provides jobs as well as affordable electricity. Today the U.S. nuclear energy industry supports more than 100,000 jobs, and electric utilities are planning to build eight or more nuclear energy facilities over the next 15 years. If these plans are realized, the construction and operation of new facilities will require thousands of skilled workers.
U.S. nuclear power plants safe, secure
PhillyBurbs.com
by: Tom Kauffman
November 15, 2011
In the wake of the accident in Japan, people are questioning the safety of nuclear power plants. Besides being one of the safest industries in U.S. history, the nation’s nuclear facilities produce 20 percent of the country’s total electricity and 70 percent of the electricity from low-carbon sources, including renewables. On average, U.S. facilities operate 24/7 at excellent efficiency, making nuclear energy the nation’s most reliable source of electricity. Given the industry’s firm commitment to continuous learning and innovation, you can rest assured that the nation’s nuclear plants will continue to be held to the highest standards to ensure safety.
Nuclear Is ‘Necessary’ to Meet Power Demand, New IEA Chief Says
Bloomberg
by: Lananh Nguyen
September 7, 2011
Nuclear power, which Germany and Switzerland plan to exit following Japan’s Fukushima disaster, is needed to meet world energy demand and cut carbon emissions, according to Maria van der Hoeven, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA). With countries, such as Germany, abandoning nuclear power, the IEA will publish a report in November that will examine the effects of a “low-nuclear scenario,” showing what will happen if nuclear is not going to be part of the energy mix any longer.
Five realities of nuclear energy to reassure public
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
by: Jerry Paul
August 28, 2011
Despite fears and recent disasters, eliminating nuclear energy is not realistic if Americans want to maintain their quality of life for numerous reasons. Nuclear plants make up about 70 percent of America’s emissions-free generation and currently, nuclear plants are the only large sources of emissions-free generation that can provide the amount of power we need to keep our homes and businesses running 24 hours per day. Including the costs of operations, maintenance and fuel, nuclear energy has the lowest production cost of any major energy source. Nuclear plants are constantly being upgraded and have more government oversight than any other industry. Facts like these should be the basis for any discussion on the future of nuclear energy here in America.
Why We Still Need Nuclear
The New York Times
by: Tom Kilgore
July 29, 2011
Despite recent nuclear accidents, like that at Fukushima, it is important to see that expanding nuclear energy is still key to the U.S. For all the recent news, nuclear is still the country’s best choice for producing large amounts of round-the-clock, reliable electricity that is affordable, safe and clean. Forecasts for the region’s energy demands by the end of the decade show we will need more base-load electricity — or continuous minimum power — something nuclear plants excel at providing.
Japanese Nuclear Task Force Helps NRC Improve Regulations
Epoch Times
by: Amelia Pang
July 13, 2011
A news release published July 13 by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) claims situations such as equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns and releases of radioactive materials would be controlled under current regulations and practices in U.S. nuclear facilities. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said that the NRC asked the Japan taskforce to review processes and regulations to determine if any improvements could be made. Japan’s NRC prepared a report including 12 recommendations improving safety, public health and defense against natural disasters.
Big questions for nuclear power in America
The Des Moines Register
by: Carolyn D. Heising
June 3, 2011
While the Fukushima accident poses big questions for nuclear power, there are those who stereotype the U.S. nuclear industry without regard for actual facts. The safety record for U.S. nuclear plants is impressive, and no member of the public has ever died or been injured as a result of a nuclear power plant accident in the United States. There are two new factors fueling the debate: the way in which nuclear power is regulated by the National Regulatory Commission and the possibility of nuclear energy becoming more competitive due to climate change and the rise in carbon emissions.
Keep nuke plants part of energy solution
The Asbury Park Press
by: James McGovern
June 3, 2011
While the Fukushima disaster has caused some politicians and pundits to write off nuclear power, there are two faulty premises used to bash nuclear: the Fukushima disaster was as devastating as Chernobyl and the U.S. nuclear industry doesn’t pay attention to safety. A radiation epidemiologist noted recently that the health effects on Japanese workers and the public appear to be minor and the health consequences for Americans on the Pacific Coast were negligible to nonexistent. Over more than a half-century, no member of the public has ever been killed or injured in a nuclear power plant accident. The revival of nuclear power has indeed slowed, but the reason has less to do with concerns about reactor safety than it does economics.