NEI Nuclear Notes

The Dallas News has up an editorial that favors continued development of nuclear energy: Americans must learn from this tragedy in our own necessary pursuit of nuclear power as part of a broader plan to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Nearly all of the 104 reactors in this country are on coastlines and near earthquake faults, and, similar to Japan’s, they utilize backup electrical systems that rely on diesel generators and batteries. A confluence of several catastrophic events here could be just as calamitous as what is unfolding half a world away. The support is always welcome, but the mainland of the United States is not vulnerable to tsunamis except in the Pacific Northwest and no nuclear plants are at the coast there. Earthquakes are a different matter, but plants are built to withstand more than the largest earthquakes ever recorded in their areas. See this FAQ from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Still, the editorial is more than judicious and worth a read. -...

Hat tip to NNN reader Walker for passing along this Dallas Morning News Editorial that somehow didn't make it into our media clips. From Friday, May 8th: First step toward a balanced energy policy ...The [ Waxman-Markey ] bill is long on environmental policy mandates but short on energy. For instance, there's no mention of nuclear energy in the more than 600 pages, nor does the bill provide critical details about the cap-and-trade mechanism proposed to reduce CO{-2} emissions. [snip] No energy or environmental bill can be complete without a serious and comprehensive strategy to develop nuclear energy, essentially a carbon-free but reliable power source. [ Ed: emphasis added ] U.S. electricity use is projected to increase 45 percent by 2030. This means nuclear and other cleaner energy alternatives are necessary to wean the nation from coal and other fossil fuels, which today account for about 85 percent of U.S. energy production. Congress should not squander an opportunity t...