Cooperative Planning:Building a Sustainable Nuclear Industry

Megan SharrowUniversity of Wisconsin – Madison

WISE 2006

An OverviewWhy is nuclear power

important?Identifying the steps to

sustainability.How to turn barriers to

building blocks.Summary of

recommendationsQ&A

Why is nuclear power important? It’s 20%.

From: Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-906, “Power Plant Report.”

Electric power generation by source during 2004

Clean1700 million tons of carbon dioxide1.1 million tons of nitrogen oxide 3.3 million tons of sulfur dioxide

Safe20 deaths due to commercial reactor accidents in

the U.S.50 total deaths due to international and defense

reactor accidents500+deaths in coals mines for 2005 alone500+deaths in single oil accident in Nigeria, 19983,500 deaths from 2 dam failures in India, 1979-80

Why is nuclear power important? It’s clean & safe.

2. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf06app.htm1. http://www.nei.org/index.asp?catnum=2&catid=346

Why is nuclear power important? It’s reliable.

Source Capacity FactorNuclear 89.6

Coal 72.6Hydro 29.3Wind 26.8Solar 18.8

Average Capacity Factors bySource for 2005

Source: http://www.nei.org/documents/U.S._Capacity_Factors_by_Fuel_Type.pdf

1. New plants Maintain 20%, possibly more

2. Interim waste storage Consolidation and Preparation

(CAP) Facilities3. Research and development

Global Nuclear Energy Partnership4. Permanent disposal

Yucca Mountain

Steps to Sustainability

1. New plants: Nuclear Power 2010 and 2005 Energy Policy Act

Barriers to Building Blocks

Loan guaranteesTax creditsExtended risk insurance

1. www.cleansafeenergy.org

Create domestic jobs1Construction: 1,300-2000 per plantOperation: 300-500 per plant

Indefinite processLicensing

No domesticInternational slow

High capital costInfrastructure

Financing

Combined stepsModerated stalling

2. Interim storage: On-site to off-site

Barriers to Building Blocks

Legitimate concern or unfounded fear?

Transportation

CO$T:

Tax payer vs. Rate payer

MythBusters!

Photos from: http://www.nei.org/doc.asp?docid=632

Superficial damage

120-ton locomotive traveling at 80 miles an hour

vs.Transport container on a flatbed trailer

3. Research and development: Collaboration and exploration

Barriers to Building Blocks

Collaboration

Leadership=

TimeMoneyEffort

+Secure energy

Global energy Reduce waste

4. Permanent disposal: The Nuclear Waste Management and Disposal Act

Barriers to Building Blocks

IndefiniteInsufficient

Non-existent

LicensingFinancing

Infrastructure

2 years + 6 monthsNuclear Waste FundRailroads and offices

4. Permanent disposal Yucca Mountain should be

expedited through modifying the existing legislation.

1. New plants Nuclear Power 2010 and 2005 Energy

Policy Act should continue as scheduled.

2. Off-site interim storage CAP facilities should be placed near

research sites and Yucca.3. Research and

development GNEP should be coordinated amongst

domestic and international communities.

Summary of Recommendations

Questions?

1. New Plants

Obstacles to AchievementUntested licensing process

Updated in 1992Significant financial risk

Highest capital cost Lack of infrastructure

No domestic plants constructed for 20 yearsInternational waiting list

2. Off-Site Interim Storage

Obstacles to AchievementUnfounded transportation concerns

1. EPRI Technical Report, “Spent Nuclear Fuel Transportation,” 2004.

8 accidents involving casks in U.S.1

4 of these involved casks carrying wasteWorst accident: truck rollover in 1971Results: no releases of radiation

3. Research and Development

Obstacles to Achievement

Partnerships To share costsAid in deployment

Undeveloped mission plan for Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP)Wants:

Needs:

Secure, global energy production Limit spread of advanced technologies

Small-scale reactors to small nationsReprocessing, enriching in weapon-states

4. Permanent DisposalObstacles to Achievement Unrealistic standards

1,000,000 year design analysis Insufficient incentives for completion

Financing and managingAlternatives temporarily postponed1

Public oppositionMassive transportation of wasteNot In My Back Yard (NIMBY)Anti-nuclear desire to stop industry

1. Department of Energy Report, “Alternative Means of Financing and Managing the Civilian radioactive Waste Management Program,” August 2001.

1. Building New Infrastructure

Barriers to Building BlocksLicensing process already begun

Fewer opportunities for stallingSignificant financial securities

Loan guarantees, tax creditsExtended risk insurance

Domestic infrastructure Create jobs1

Construction: 1,300-2000 per plantOperation: 300-500 per plant

Re-establish manufacturingBXW Technologies Inc.21. www.cleansafeenergy.org 2. Nucleonics, May 25 2006.

2. Transporting WasteBarriers to Building BlocksOpportunity to dispel transportation concerns

Build public faith for transport to Yucca Mountain

Strategic location of CAP facilitiesDeliver candidate fuel to research facilitiesExpedite eventual disposal

3. Developing a Mission Plan for GNEP

Barriers to Building Blocks Encourage international collaboration

Establish partnershipsFortify sense of global investment

Support innovation at national labs and universities

Enable scientific pursuits a la Space RaceEnsure U.S. remains among global leaders of nuclear industry

4. Expediting Yucca Mountain

Barriers to Building Blocks Nuclear Fuel Management and Disposal Act

Numerous provisionsSets limit on review of “receive and possess” licenseRepeals statutory limit on repositoryAllows commencement of infrastructure constructionSuggests alternative means of financing

Steps in right directionNeeds closer inspection

1. Department of Energy Report, “Alternative Means of Financing and Managing the Civilian radioactive Waste Management Program,” August 2001.