By Jarret Adams

Over at the Huffington Post today, Carl Pope of the Sierra Club has dished up another attack on the economics of nuclear energy that goes light on the facts and heavy on the rhetoric. Contrary to Mr. Pope’s wishes, nuclear energy’s revival already is well under way with more than 50 new plants under construction worldwide. More than 20 of these new reactors are being built in China alone.

The main question is whether Americans will see past the constant flood of disinformation about nuclear energy and support the revival as other industrial nations have done. In fact, nuclear energy is by far America’s largest source of electricity that does not produce greenhouse gases.

While new nuclear plants are expensive, the cost of electricity generated by these facilities over 60 year is relatively inexpensive. Once these costs are amortized, the operating costs of nuclear plants (at about 2 cents/kwh) are well below natural gas (at 5 cents/kwh) and even lower than coal.

Nuclear energy also has an excellent safety record in the United States. In fact (another fact), it is safer to work in the nuclear industry than in manufacturing, according the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Regarding ability to withstand hurricanes, the Gulf region nuclear plants withstood Hurricane Katrina without sustaining any significant damage and were among the first major power generation back online after the storm.

We at AREVA fully support renewable energy as another way to produce low-carbon electricity, especially if we are talking about our state-of-the-art offshore wind turbines, concentrated solar power, and advanced biopower facilities.

Why does Mr. Pope trash nuclear in an effort to promote renewables? In actuality, nuclear energy and renewables are complementary – a combination of the two is the best near-term way to remove CO2 emissions from our electricity grid. And why does he put in a plug for low natural gas prices?

By Jarret Adams

An article in this week’s Science magazine, “Nuclear Waste: Knowledge Waste?” (subscription required) raises some very interesting questions about managing nuclear waste in the context of the nuclear renaissance now under way. Beyond recounting the history and current state of U.S. waste management (which should be well known to readers of this space), it focuses on the “often-overlooked” social science aspects of formulating a strategy for the future.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, according to its charter, was formed “to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.” The Science article offers some advice to those involved:

The Blue Ribbon Commission, the DOE, and other responsible agencies should make the rebuilding of social trust and credibility central to their operations and their proposed strategies for waste management, then draw on the social sciences needed to fulfill these commitments.

The authors state that the panel is well positioned to begin overcoming “the problematic legacy it inherited,” but cautions that it should consider not only the technical requirements, but also take into account the social issues relative to nuclear waste. It concludes:

The strategy adopted by the commission will affect not only how its recommendations are judged but also how the public should be involved in subsequent policy and siting decisions. Addressing relevant social issues does not guarantee success, but ignoring them increases the chances of repeating past failures.

In related news, ThomsonReuters published a timely article Aug. 17 focusing on the potential for recycling entitled “U.S. nuclear waste issue could be solved if…” In fact, this article quotes yours truly saying: “It’s a perfect time to reconsider recycling for the U.S.,” and I have to say I agree with me. The piece also features some good photos of AREVA’s La Hague recycling facility.

Click here for more information on AREVA’s vision for recycling nuclear fuel in the U.S.

In a recent piece by the Christian Science Monitor, “Global Warming Heats up a Nuclear Energy Renaissance,” the article examined the American context energy and why nuclear power is an attractive option.

One key point mentioned is that the majority of the general American public views nuclear energy positively, now more than ever.

“Public and political acceptance of nuclear power as a logical large-scale alternative to fossil fuel is higher than it has been in a generation. Once mainly associated with mishaps like Three Mile Island and Chernobyl – not to mention bumbling nuclear plant worker Homer Simpson – the energy source now has support from 62 percent of Americans, a Gallup Poll found in March. That’s the highest since Gallup began asking about the topic in 1994.

Even former foes like Stewart Brand, founder of the Whole Earth Catalog and an alternative-energy crusader, and Mark Udall, a member of the Udall family Democratic political dynasty that has stewarded natural resources, are rethinking the nuclear energy option. They’re influenced more by the immediately tangible environmental consequences of greenhouse gases than by possible radiation disasters.”

A recent survey on the public view of nuclear energy, “Perspective on Public Opinion,” June 2010, shows that Americans are more supportive of nuclear energy than they have been in decades. The survey results note that “Three out of four Americans say they favor nuclear energy. The long-term transformation in public opinion on nuclear energy is striking: Those in favor moved from 49 percent in 1983, when the question was first asked, to 74 percent today. Those who “strongly favor” nuclear energy now outnumber those who are “strongly opposed” by more than three to one—33 percent strongly favor compared with 10 percent who are strongly opposed.”

There are many variable that have contributed to these growing acceptance rates including baseload energy generation without carbon emissions, ability to create jobs and economic growth, and provide a domestic source for greater energy independence.

Here is a great image of the Taishan 1 construction site in China. The construction team is lifting the second ring of the containment liner.

For an update on AREVA’s international EPR™ projects, read more here.

On his Weekly Washington Update, Virginia Representative Rob Wittman discussed his recent visit to the AREVA Newport News facility under development in Newport News Virginia. As part of a joint venture with Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, AREVA is working to construct a facility that will manufacture the heavy components for nuclear power plants. More information on this project here.

“Last week I also had the opportunity to visit AREVA Newport News, a company that manufactures components for nuclear power plants.  AREVA partnered up with Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding to build a fantastic facility that will create over 250 private sector jobs on the Peninsula.  This is great news not only for the Hampton Roads economy, but also for our energy security. 

Nuclear power is clean and affordable, and it should be an important part of our comprehensive energy policy.  With so many concerns about clean air and greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear power is a safe and reliable carbon emission free source of electric power.  Many countries are rapidly developing their nuclear industries, including China, which is expected to complete 22 nuclear energy reactors this year and has plans for over 100 additional reactors in the near future. The United States, on the other hand, hasn’t ordered a new reactor since 1978.

Currently, about one third of Virginia’s electricity is supplied by nuclear power, and our energy demands are expected to significantly increase in the next few decades.  I believe that in order to meet these challenges, we need a comprehensive energy policy that relies on American-made resources, including nuclear energy, natural gas, oil, coal, and renewable and alternative sources such as wind and solar power.  Nuclear energy is a reliable source of electricity, both environmentally and economically, and I enjoyed the opportunity to visit the folks at AREVA Newport News who are making this power source a reality.”
 
Check out images from the visit.

By Jarret Adams

About a dozen members of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future yesterday toured the Department of Energy’s Hanford site near Richland, Wash. This panel, which is charged with developing a recommendation on managing the nation’s nuclear waste, heard testimony from local government officials and American Indian tribes during the course of its third public meeting.

The message to the panel from the local speakers was that the government must develop a plan for moving waste from the Hanford site now that Yucca Mountain has been “off the table.” Others called for reviewing the decision to stop the Yucca Mountain project.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire echoed that sentiment in her testimony today and encouraged the panel “to base any recommendations on science and technology, not politics.”

Whether or not the government restarts the Yucca project, the nation ultimately will need a repository. However, if we recycle our nation’s used nuclear fuel we could divide by at least four the volume of waste bound for repository. We also would avoid the need to develop additional repositories, perhaps indefinitely. For more on the potential for recycling, click here.

AREVA is active in several projects related to the remediation of the Hanford site, employing its state-of-the-art technologies for chemical clean-up and vitrification of the radioactive waste.

In addition, we manufacture high-quality fuel for nuclear plants at our facility in Richland, adjacent to the site.

by Curtis Roberts, Renewables Communications Manager, North America

AREVA’s recent agreement with the province of New Brunswick and the utility NB Power reveals an innovative approach to meeting current and future carbon-free energy demand.

As you would expect from AREVA, the agreement includes building a nuclear power plant, in this case, one of AREVA’s mid-sized light water reactor designs. What you may not have expected in the proposal is the generation of carbon-free power from two sources in AREVA’s renewable energy portfolio: offshore wind and forest energy.

You’re not familiar with AREVA’s renewable energy portfolio?

AREVA was the first company to develop and install 5 MW offshore wind turbines specifically designed to operate in the harsh sea conditions. AREVA is the global leader in developing and generating power from biomass energy sources. In solar thermal energy, AREVA’s CLFR technology was recently selected to build the world’s largest solar booster at a plant in Australia.

This marrying of nuclear and renewable carbon-free energy generation into a comprehensive AREVA Clean Energy Park is becoming the wave of the future, and is the third example of AREVA’s concept.

Back in April 2010, AREVA and the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group (FNEG) in California announced a Memorandum of Understanding to build a Clean Energy Park with an AREVA U.S. EPR™ nuclear plant, but also a solar plant to generate energy and power an onsite desalinization facility producing clean agricultural water.

In June 2009, AREVA joined with Duke Energy, USEC, UniStar Nuclear Energy, and the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative (SODI) in an ongoing Clean Energy Park proposal at a Department of Energy site in Ohio combining nuclear with biomass power from regional sustainable forest energy sources.

There’s another benefit with AREVA’s approach: regional economic stimulus. Along with energy, AREVA sees the Clean Energy Park concept as an effective producer of local investment and employment through construction activities, ongoing operations and domestic supply chain development.

As the challenge and demand for carbon-free energy continues to increase, the solution looks less like a single hammer response, and more like the toolbox of customized carbon-free sources in an AREVA Clean Energy Park.

Here is some of the recent news and comments made about our announcement for a third Clean Energy Park yesterday.

“AREVA Won’t Build a Prototype” from the New Brunswick Business Journal

Jacques Besnainou, chief executive officer of Areva Inc. in North America, was in Saint John Thursday to announce plans to examine the feasibility of building a reactor and creating a clean energy park here and sign a letter of intent with the province. He told the Telegraph-Journal that if the project ultimately goes forward, construction of a reactor will begin by around 2015. By that time, Areva will have completed third generation-plus reactors in Finland, France and China.

From the Telegraph Journal, Possible Lepreau 2 Good News, Say Business Groups

The prospect of a second nuclear reactor creating up to 8,500 direct and indirect jobs, investments in education and growth of the energy hub is good news for the region, business associations say. “We can see the lift that big projects have given to Saint John as a community,” said Mike Murphy, chairman of the Saint John Board of Trade.

“A project like this would bring additional jobs and wealth and prosperity to our community and help us sustain that core momentum,” he said.

From CBC News, AREVA, N.B. Reveal Nuclear Plans

“The New Brunswick government recognizes the integral role the energy sector has in growing our economy,” said [Premier Shawn] Graham in a media release.

“Although this announcement is just a first step, a project of this magnitude would create 8,500 direct and indirect jobs for New Brunswickers in all regions of our province.”

In another significant move to develop solutions for CO2-free energy, AREVA has signed an agreement to develop a third Clean Energy Park project, this one for New Brunswick, Canada.

AREVA signed a letter of intent today with the Province of New Brunswick and New Brunswick Power to develop this project in the southern area near the Point Lepreau nuclear station.

As a Clean Energy Park, this project will consider featuring both AREVA’s nuclear and renewable energy technologies, similar to concepts already in discussions in Ohio and California.

Capitalizing on AREVA’s expertise and technological reliability, the agreement indicates this project would use latest generation III + reactor technology and could include renewable options offered by AREVA such as biomass, offshore wind, and concentrated solar power.

Just as in Ohio and California, the Clean Energy Park concept is an advantageous option for clean energy generation because it also would provide a major economic stimulus, estimated to create 8,500 direct and indirect jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars for the regional economy.

With this announcement, the Province of New Brunswick and New Brunswick Power join AREVA in leading the advancement of safe, reliable, clean energy technology for their community.