| p>The advantages of using Nuclear Power should be | | | | designs below: |
| apparent to everybody with common sense, especially | | | | 1. The AP-1000 power plant designed by |
| now with the resurfacing of the Global Warming and | | | | Westinghouse, 1.1 gigawatt pressurized water reactor. |
| the Federal Deficit. Approximately 20% of the Federal | | | | According to Westinghouse, the design features two |
| Deficit is the value of imported oil. | | | | steam generators connected to the reactor pressure |
| The politics of nuclear energy, however, is rather | | | | vessel and an array of passive safety system that |
| complicated. In the U.S. the Congress has mainly | | | | don't require AC power or cooling water to be |
| favored nuclear energy, with the Republicans more so | | | | operational. |
| than the Democrats. Around 1990 a bill simplifying the | | | | 2. The other plant is General Electric design called the |
| licensing process for new plants became law. In the | | | | Economic Simplified Boiling Water reactor. The |
| early 90s Congress voted to store nuclear waste in | | | | recirculation and safety system pumps have been |
| Nevada if the studies turned out favorable. Lengthy | | | | replaced by natural gravity-driven water circulation and |
| studies came out favorable around 2000, and in 2002 | | | | passive safety systems. |
| Congress voted to override the opposition oft he | | | | A switch to nuclear energy will cause there to be |
| State of Nevada. Apparently lawsuits will tie up actual | | | | economic winners and losers. The potential losers will |
| construction for a while, but it is expected that the | | | | be tempted to resist the process politically.The winners, |
| storage of waste in Nevada will begin around 2010. | | | | of course, are the nuclear industry itself as well as the |
| There has been a virtual moratorium on nuclear power | | | | construction industry. The public in general will win too. |
| plants in the United States during the past generation, | | | | The losers are the coal industry, the oil industry, and |
| and it has many causes. But one significant factor in | | | | the alternative energy industry. The alternative energy |
| the industry's decline was the Nuclear Regulatory | | | | industry hasn't generated an appreciable amount of |
| Commission's (NRC) licensing process. This process | | | | energy but has absorbed much Government money, |
| didn't allow approval of the plants until after | | | | and has absorbed much research energy in the |
| construction. This caused many costly delays while the | | | | academic world. |
| completed plants were idling waiting for their operating | | | | The capital cost for electric power plants is in the |
| licenses. | | | | neighborhood of $1000 per installed kilowatt. It is |
| The old regulatory process, established in 1956, had | | | | somewhat lower for gas-fired turbines and often |
| been widely seen as a cumbersome failure. In 1992, | | | | much higher for some nuclear plants (where |
| the NRC established two new processes to | | | | construction delays and post facto safety regulations |
| streamline nuclear plant licensing. By 2003, however, | | | | have raised costs considerably). These capital costs |
| after the September 11 attacks, the California | | | | will have been largely amortized for nuclear plants |
| blackouts, the steep rise in the cost of gas powered | | | | whose license to operate is being extended. |
| electricity and the growing concerns of global warming, | | | | Fueling a reactor for one year requires approximately |
| nuclear power again became an option. | | | | 350,000 lb of raw uranium to produce about 1,000 MW |
| In contrast to the old Part 50 procedure, the new | | | | of electricity for about 7500 hours. At $10 per pound, |
| 10-CFR 52 or "Part52" regulation aim to settle | | | | this is 0.04 cents per KW-h. These are rough numbers |
| questions about sitting, design, and operating licensing | | | | I found them in my notes. |
| issues well before you start construction. | | | | Over 78% of French electricity demands are met by |
| Standardization of every aspect of an application's | | | | nuclear energy.This was one of the goals of the |
| form and contest is also a crucial feature of Part 52. | | | | French Nuclear program, to decrease French |
| With this approach, the NRC will have to review and | | | | dependence on foreign energy sources. As of |
| approve a specific design only once. After that, NRC | | | | September 30, 2007 there were a total of 197 nuclear |
| needs to check only the areas where the applicant | | | | power plant units with an installed electric net capacity |
| differs, such as environmental characteristics of the | | | | of 169,842 MWe in operation in Europe and 12 units |
| specific site. | | | | with 9,991 MWe were underconstruction in five |
| According to Mechanical Engineering, October 2007, | | | | countries. |
| other future reactors will likely be one of the two | | | | |