Should Nuclear Power Be Expanded? >
Nuclear Industry Can Light the Way to Energy Security
Alternative, less-clean power generators simply cannot compete
February 3, 2012
About Anthony R. Pietrangelo:
Anthony R. Pietrangelo is senior vice president and chief nuclear officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute.
The United States and nations around the world should expand the use of nuclear energy. It is a low-carbon energy technology that has proven its ability to reliably and affordably provide large amounts of baseload electricity virtually around the clock. Because reliable, affordable electricity supplies are the backbone of a growing economy, nuclear energy is vital to any nation's ability improve its standard of living, to create jobs, to have power for heating and cooling systems, and to enhance energy security.
[U.S. News Debate Club: Should the Government Invest in Green Energy?]
In the United States, nuclear energy produces electricity for one of every five homes and businesses. It is by far the largest source of electricity that doesn't emit greenhouse gases or particle pollutants. Additionally, America's nuclear energy facilities have an exemplary safety record and are the most reliable power plants on the electricity grid, with an industry-leading capacity factor just shy of 90 percent.
U.S. nuclear energy facilities produce electricity at just over two cents per kilowatt-hour. With the exception of hydroelectric power plants, they are the lowest-cost producer of baseload electricity even in the absence of a tax on carbon, which would significantly increase the cost of fossil-fueled power plants. By burning one kilogram of their respective fuels, coal can power a 100-watt light bulb for about four days, natural gas for about six days, and uranium in a light water reactor can power the light bulb for 140 years.
[See a collection of political cartoons on energy policy.]
Looking forward, the U.S. nuclear energy industry is capturing and applying lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan to enhance our ability to manage and mitigate the impact of extreme events. In fact, we already are adding portable emergency equipment at U.S. reactors that provide yet another layer of protection for our facilities.
The bottom line is that, in the coming decades, we will be challenged to simultaneously meet rising electricity demand and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. To meet this challenge, the United States must establish a comprehensive and sustainable national energy policy that supports the development of technology-based, low-carbon solutions. Nuclear energy has an important role to play in helping us meet that challenge.
- Join the debate on Facebook.
- Follow U.S. News Debate Club on Twitter.
- Obama Exaggerates Role of Federal Government in Natural Gas Boom.
- Other Arguments
-
#1343254
Yes — Increasing nuclear electricity production will decrease our carbon footprint
ERIC LOEWEN, President of the American Nuclear Society
-
#2383307
No — It shouldn't take a catastrophic meltdown on American soil to prod our government into action
JIM RICCIO, Nuclear Policy Analyst at Greenpeace
-
#3285250
Yes — Nuclear power reduces emissions without destroying jobs
JOHN SHIMKUS, U.S. Representative, Illinois's 19th District
-
#5299280
No — Nuclear power isn't affordable, clean, or safe
MICHAEL MARIOTTE, Executive Director and Chief Spokesperson for the Nuclear Information and Resource Service
-
#6272266
No — Investing in energy efficiency remains the most cost-effective solution
TYSON SLOCUM, Director of Public Citizen's Energy Program
-
#7263280
No — The world has moved on to new technologies
EDWARD J. MARKEY, U.S. Representative, Massachusetts's 7th District
