Nuclear Renaissance in the U.S.?

July 13, 2010

With the oil crisis in the Gulf and the newly released transport rule from the EPA calling for reductions in SO2 and NOx emissions that would cross state lines, the nuclear renaissance conversation seems to be picking up again in the States. But Westinghouse Senior Vice President of Nuclear Power Plants Deva Chari said the oil spill in the Gulf will no have no impact, whether positive or negative, on the future of nuclear power generation.

Learning lessons from the Three Mile Island accident, the nuclear industry is gaining interest in the U.S. That is shown with the 18 applications for operating licenses submitted to the NRC over the last three years. Thirteen of those applications are currently under review by the NRC.

“The future is extremely bright,” said Chari.

And the Obama administration has made it clear that it will support new nuclear plants in this country. On Feb. 16, President Obama awarded the first loan guarantee for a nuclear plant under the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The award of $8.3 billion for two additional reactors at the Vogtle plant in Georgia is conditional until the plant receives the combine construction and operating license from the NRC, which is expected in 2011.

“This is so important not just for Georgia, not just for Georgia Power, but it is important I think for the future of nuclear power in this country,” said Georgia Public Service Commissioner Stan Wise.

Another major developing project in the U.S. is at the V.C. Summer plant in South Carolina. South Carolina Electric and Gas plans to build two new Westinghouse AP1000 reactors to add on to the current 966 MW being produced. If the NRC issues the construction license in 2011 then SCE&G plan to bring the first of the new units online in 2016.

NEI Senior Director of Business Policy and Programs Leslie Kass said they see new construction getting off the ground with more fully developed construction schedules.

“Depending on how those projects go, and we expect them to go very well, we think things will take off,” said Kass.

If the industry does get the boost it needs, Kass thinks we will see four to eight plants online by the 2016-2020 timeframe with companies taking steps to get back into the market when more financial recovery happens.

So it seems to be a talking point right now in the industry that we can expect to see a nuclear renaissance in the U.S. But hasn’t this conversation come up in the past? And if the U.S. is going to see a nuclear renaissance, then the next question is how large.

In the September issue of Nuclear Power International I will be reporting on new projects taking place both in the United States and internationally. Focusing on cost, my discussions with nuclear power executives will give us a better picture of where the industry is moving from here.