nuclear power

7 Things People Got Wrong with our Recent ‘Nuclear Power Dilemma’ Report

, director of energy research, Clean Energy

November 16, 2018 1:29 PM EDT

On November 8, UCS released The Nuclear Power Dilemma: Declining Profits, Plant Closures, and the Threat of Rising Carbon Emissions, which found that more than one-third of existing nuclear plants, representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity, is uneconomic or slated to close over the next decade. Unfortunately, some of the media coverage and statements by the nuclear industry and other groups have mischaracterized our report and our past work. Here are seven points to correct the record. Read more >

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Forget the Trump Bailout—Here’s a Real Solution for Nuclear and the Climate

, director of gov't affairs, Climate & Energy

November 13, 2018 10:01 AM EDT

The Trump Administration’s proposal is a bad idea predicated on a made-up problem. Here’s a better approach. Read more >

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The 908 MW Davis-Besse nuclear power plant, owned by FirstEnergy and located 21 miles east of Toledo, Ohio on Lake Erie. Photo: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Even in a Carbon-Constrained World, FirstEnergy’s Nuclear Bailout Proposal in Ohio Must Be Rejected

, director of state policy & analysis, Clean Energy

November 8, 2018 12:01 AM EDT

A new report, The Nuclear Power Dilemma, released today by my UCS colleagues, finds that more than one-third of the nation’s nuclear power fleet – that provides more than 20 percent of the country’s nuclear power – are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade primarily due to economic, safety, and performance reasons. FirstEnergy is now seeking a bailout from the Ohio legislature to keep two of the uneconomic plants open. In a world where the threat of climate change is increasingly dire and the need to dramatically cut carbon emissions is even more urgent, every source of zero-carbon energy is important. But make no mistake: FirstEnergy’s bailout proposals for its struggling nuclear plants are poorly conceived and must be rejected. Here’s why. Read more >

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The 671 MW Monticello Nuclear Generating Station is located along the Mississippi River 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities and provides about 10 percent of Xcel’s electricity in the Upper Midwest. Photo: Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Flickr

Carbon Pricing is Key to Economic Viability of Xcel’s Nuclear Power Plants in Minnesota

, director of energy research, Clean Energy

November 8, 2018 12:01 AM EDT

A new UCS report released today found that more than one-third of U.S. nuclear plants–representing 22 percent of total US nuclear capacity–are uneconomic or slated to retire over the next decade under current market conditions. The UCS study, The Nuclear Power Dilemma, shows that the economic viability of the nation’s nuclear plants is threatened by low natural gas prices, the declining cost of renewable energy, investments in energy efficiency, and the costs of upgrading aging plants to ensure safe operation.

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Photo: Source: Nuclear Regulatory Commission/Flickr
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Photo: Montgomery County Planning Commission

What the New UCS Report on Nuclear Plants Means for Illinois

, lead Midwest energy analyst

November 8, 2018 12:01 AM EDT

Today UCS released a new report entitled The Nuclear Power Dilemma that examines the economic viability and performance of most of the 60 nuclear power plants operating in the United States as of July 2018. The report also analyzes what electric generating resources are likely to replace these nuclear plants if some of them were to abruptly retire from service. So what did the report find and what does it mean for a state with so much nuclear power like Illinois? Read more >

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