The United States renews nuclear energy projects to combat global warming

 Today, only 20 percent of the United State’s energy supply comes from nuclear energy. But thanks to the Obama administration’s will to lessen dependency on foreign oil and to reduce carbon emissions (by 17 percent in 2020 compared to the 2005 level), things could change. No less than 31 plants are set to participate in the project. According to Steven Chu, the Secretary of Energy, "Nuclear has to be part of the mix. It’s clean, base-load energy," just like solar energy or wind power.

So, renewable energy equals nuclear power? Despite the lack of a solution for disposing of nuclear waste, “I do not think that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) should limit or suspend the granting of new licenses,” says Chu. This gives the French energy group Areva the opportunity to sell its third generation reactor, the famous EPR, to the United States.

Eight EPR Projects

Areva already has two projects for the third generation rector with Unistar (a co-enterprise formed by Constellation Energy and EDF), in Calvert Cliffs Maryland and Nine Mile Point, New York, and another with Pennsylvania Power and Light in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. Two EPR other projects could also be undertaken: one in Amarillo, Texas and the other in Bruno, Idaho. The enterprise AmerenUE is also interested in working with French technology.

Ted Strickland, the governor of Ohio, launched an eighth project last week. “The project will revitalize the region’s economy, further advance Ohio’s nuclear infrastructure, help address our energy needs and be a part of Ohio’s solution to the challenge of climate change,” said Strickland. The project has been linked to Areva, Unistar, Duke Energy and USEC (an American enrichment specialist). Objective: the construction of a “clean energy park” by 2018-2020.

At the moment, no budget has been defined, and the Nuclear Regulatory community must give its approval. According to the Nuclear Phase-Out Federation: “the final verdict could very well be negative for the EPR given its vulnerability in the case of an airline crash.” Regardless, Areva is working towards one goal, “accrediting the thesis of the deployment of nuclear power on the planet.’

Tags: United States, nuclear energy, green energy, global warming, Obama, EPR