NUCLEAR ENERGYExploring the New Nuclear Energy Landscape
In the last few years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy and its potential for helping meet the nation’s growing demands for clean electricity and energy security. Meanwhile, nuclear energy technologies themselves have advanced, opening up new possibilities for their use.
In the last few years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy and its potential for helping meet the nation’s growing demands for clean electricity and energy security. Meanwhile, nuclear energy technologies themselves have advanced, opening up new possibilities for their use.
“There has been a huge growth in electricity demand, driven by the needs of artificial intelligence and data centers,” said Richard Meserve, senior of counsel for Covington & Burling LLP and former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. “This has resulted in a stronger interest in nuclear power to fill the supply gap.”
Meserve joined other experts in policymaking, finance, regulation, community engagement, and energy technologies at a recent National Academies workshop that explored the shifting nuclear energy landscape, willingness to invest in new technologies, changing workforce needs, the regulatory environment, and other issues. The workshop built upon a recent National Academies report that examined how the U.S. can lay the foundation for pursuing new and advanced nuclear reactors safely and securely.
For the nuclear power industry to succeed, it also needs to be economically competitive with other sources of energy, several speakers noted. Nuclear reactors have some advantages, one being that they provide “firm power,” meaning a steady amount of constantly available power — unlike a renewable technology like solar panels, for example, which can only operate in the daytime.
In particular, the electricity needs of U.S.“hyperscalers” — large cloud service providers, which offer off-site data storage and other computing services — could help tip the economic scales in favor of nuclear power. According to Chad Eaton, director of government affairs and energy strategy for Nucor Corp., hyperscalers and other users that require large amounts of electricity can function as long-term “anchor customers,” which would create some of the certainty that electric utility companies need to undertake the investments that nuclear projects require.
“In order to achieve our 24/7 carbon-free, net-zero goals, we need an all-of-the-above portfolio approach when it comes to technologies, and as a clean, firm resource, nuclear has to be part of that picture to complement our renewables,” said Lucia Tian, who leads Google’s advanced clean energy technologies unit. “Modeling shows us that, in many regions, we can’t get there without these clean firm resources, and … when you start to look at the portfolio approach, it is much more economical to include a full suite of technology choices.” In another example of Big Tech expanding their
