Nuclear power’s future
As the news from Japan worsens, the anxiety level rises. Phrases like “radioactive release,” “partial meltdown” and “damaged reactor” send chills up the spine.
The most important lesson to emerge from the tragedy in Japan is that safety must be the top priority in the operation of nuclear plants, always. There’s no such thing as a foolproof system or disaster-proof construction. The crisis should serve as a wake-up call for the nuclear power industry and regulators around the world
A safety review of U.S. power plants, both current and planned, is needed. Congress should hold hearings that can inform the public about safety issues. But let’s take a deep breath before leaping to declare a permanent moratorium on nuclear power plant expansion. Unless new forms of energy generation can be found relatively soon, the world will need more nuclear plants in the near future.
In Florida, FPL is seeking the go-ahead to build two new reactors at Turkey Point. Progress Energy wants to build a new plant in Levy County. The state already has three operating plants (Crystal River, St. Lucie and Turkey Point) housing five reactors. Without new generating facilities, Florida could fail to meet its growing energy needs.
Nationally, there are 104 commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. They provide about 20 percent of the nation’s electricity. For three decades, an all but officially-declared moratorium has prevented the building of new plants. The Tennessee Valley Authority is the only utility actively building a new nuclear plant in America, the Watts Bar Unit, but ground on that project was broken decades ago, before the episode at Three Mile Island that brought new nuclear-power development to a standstill.
However, a consensus had begun to emerge that new nuclear plants were the key to meeting the energy needs of the future. There’s no mystery about why.
Based on existing technology, nuclear power has a critical role to play in devising a climate solution. It’s a form of clean energy. Other clean sources such as solar and wind power — as desirable as these are — require significant new levels of investment and a hefty commitment of public funding before they can match the output of other large-scale generators of energy. Meanwhile, the explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine in West Virginia and the Deepwater Horizon blowout offer a fresh reminder of the perils of coal and oil.
Energy-starved countries like China and India have ambitious plans to build their own networks of nuclear plants. On Wednesday, China’s government announced that it is suspending plans for new nuclear power plants so that safety standards can be revised, and it ordered inspections of all existing facilities. That’s a wise move, but it’s only a yellow light, not a red light. Eventually, China may have no choice but to proceed cautiously with nuclear expansion.
According to the World Nuclear Association, an industry trade group, the globe’s existing stock of 443 nuclear reactors could more than double in 15 years.
The terrible events in Japan are a warning about the need to plan for a nightmare scenario. Better engineering, appropriate placement (not on or near a fault line) and more back-up safety systems can reduce, but never eliminate, the risks and unanticipated vulnerability of nuclear plants.
But as horrifying as this episode is, it should not deter this country from developing nuclear power. Let’s learn from Japan’s experience and make the operation of existing and future plants as safe as possible.
-Editorial Board
