Is Nuclear Energy the Most Promising Energy Source for a Sustainable Future?

Abstract

50+ years of safe, secure, and reliable operations of clean electrical power generation has proven that nuclear energy must be a part of our nation’s future clean energy portfolio. In the past, public opinion has inhibited the growth of this electricity source; today, the pressure of climate change is forcing the world to make a radical change in the way our society generates electricity. Almost 20% of our electricity generation currently comes from nuclear power and meeting our future energy needs will require a much larger role for nuclear in the future. Our first research objective was to gain a better understanding of public opinion and knowledge of nuclear energy in Montana; and importantly, the foundation and reasoning for their views. We designed a survey that asks whether the respondent is favorable or unfavorable and why they hold that opinion, then whether they feel knowledgeable or unknowledgeable about nuclear energy to produce electricity. We identified several stakeholder/cohort groups to research and our survey was distributed to these groups, including legislators and government administrators, utility companies, prospective nuclear site community members, nuclear energy experts, environmentalists, economists, and MSU students and faculty. Our second research objective was to gain an understanding of why nuclear reactor construction costs so much. We researched the costs through summaries of techno-economic analyses of the construction and operation of previous nuclear power plants. To achieve this goal, we held extensive interviews with representatives of stakeholder groups. We have found that the upfront costs of licensing, engineering and construction of reactors are the most important barriers nuclear energy has to overcome. Nuclear energy can decrease costs by: legislative reform, new reactor volume and series construction, and supply chain availability. Once in operation the costs are low, stable and lay the groundwork for an abundant clean energy future.