“The Three Mile Island reactor accident happened in 1979. Fortunately, because of the design of our reactors, with their containment building, external damage and radiation were very small, but it was clear that operator training was inadequate to handle such an emergency. The NRC began strengthening its safety requirements. While industry protested that stringent regulation would cripple it, something very different happened. U.S. nuclear reactors went from a typical 60 percent capacity factor to more than 90 percent today, the world’s best. U.S. licensing and training requirements are today regarded worldwide as the gold standard. The industry also became more profitable in the years after regulation.”

– Burton Richter, member of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee in a letter published in the Washington Post yesterday

By Katherine Berezowskyj

As part of the biggest gathering of world leaders in the United States since the meetings that formed the United Nations, leaders from almost 50 states and other related organizations have come to Washington, D.C., this week as part of President Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit. This international meeting comes one year after his landmark speech in Prague calling for the world to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and just a week after he signed a new START (strategic arms reduction) treaty with Russia, deepening both states’ commitments to further arms reductions.

The summit discussions focus on measures to address the international nuclear threat by strengthening the non-proliferation treaty regime, reducing and eventually eliminating existing nuclear weapons stockpiles, and developing measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring nuclear weapons materials. Although the discussions and negotiations center on engaging states for collective action, the role of the nuclear energy industry in supporting governmental measures remains critical.

AREVA knows the leadership role that industry must play and works hand in hand with governments, ensuring it meets and implements the multiple international obligations it operates under, supporting countries and the international non-proliferation regime.

AREVA CEO Anne Lauvergeon participated in parallel discussions as a panelist during the Nuclear Security Conference hosted by the Nuclear Energy Institute and on a Round Table hosted by Vice-President Joe Biden. Ms. Lauvergeon’s messages underline AREVA’s commitment and strict adherence to transparency and support of current non-proliferation efforts. Speaking last year at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, she affirmed that

“AREVA manages all of its nuclear facilities and nuclear materials in full accord with all international nonproliferation treaties, norms, and national regulations. AREVA does not, and will never, cooperate with any customer from a country that does not adhere to international nonproliferation norms, or is in noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations.”

This commitment includes AREVA’s contribution as part of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s program to eliminate former weapons material. AREVA, in partnership with the Shaw Group, is utilizing its expertise and experience in the design and construction of the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina. This facility will reduce weapons stockpiles by converting weapons-grade material into mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel for U.S. nuclear power plants. The program is designed to eliminate, destroy, and disperse former nuclear weapons material while producing electricity in commercial nuclear plants. AREVA stands committed to enhancing the culture of non-proliferation among everyone involved in the nuclear energy renaissance.

The Ohio State University, College of Engineering, in partnership with Clean Fuels Ohio, the Jon and Susan Diamond Family Foundation, Honda, and many others have announced they will be hosting a conference, Moving Ahead 2010: Sustainable Transportation Solutions for the 21st Century, May 2-4, 2010. This event will bring together transportation and energy leaders from industry, research, government, non-profit organizations and education to have the tough conversations and build the momentum that will foster the actions we need for our transportation energy future.

Leading up to the conference, Interim Dean Gregory N. Washington, Ph.D., will begin framing the debate through a series of posts to his blog. We encourage you to visit the blog and learn about the issues.

By Katherine Berezowskyj

The situation for nuclear energy in the United States is changing. President Obama has come out in support of an expansion of nuclear energy and the Department of Energy has awarded the first loan guarantee. Nuclear energy, and the role it plays in CO2-free electricity generation, is growing.

The situation for the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle is also changing. For half a century, nuclear reactors have been providing Americans with clean energy. In addition to the thousands of megawatts of electricity, this process also creates used nuclear fuel. The 104 reactors in the United States produce approximately 2,000 tons of used fuel every year (which will grow as additional nuclear power plants are added). In total, some 62,000 tons of used fuel has been created to date.
read more…

From this weekend’s Wall Streeet Journal Op Ed:

“We’ve essentially fallen 10 years behind the rest of the world in nuclear technology, but the Obama administration’s decision to support nuclear will finally get the ball rolling. Within a decade we may very well catch up with the rest of the world in developing the energy technology of the 21st century.”

- William Tucker, Author “Terrestrial Energy: How Nuclear Power Will Lead the Green Revolution and End America’s Energy Odyssey“

We think these are a very good series of questions… and are proud to among the companies and organizations asking them.

Construction at MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility in South Carolina

A recent report from the National Center for Policy Analysis examines the growing demand for U.S. energy needs and the requirements that this energy comes from a renewable or carbon-free source.  The National Center for Policy Analysis finds in its report that “to meet this growing demand nuclear energy remains one of the safest and more reliable forms of energy available—it also emits no greenhouse gases…Nuclear power is reliable, sustainable, and clean.”

Reliable?
“Solar and wind require backup from coal, natural gas or nuclear power plants for day-to-day baseload power or for on-demand peaking power.  By contrast, the output from nuclear power plants can be adjusted based on user demand and to keep the electricity grid at maximum efficiency.”

Sustainable?
“An additional supply of nuclear fuel is readily available, after reprocessing, in the more-than-15,000 plutonium pits removed from dismantled U.S. nuclear weapons.”*

“An even larger fuel supply can be found in spent fuel rods from existing reactors.  Thus, recycling could provide an almost unlimited supply of nuclear fuel in the United State.  Recycling spent fuel would significantly decrease the problem of nuclear waste disposal.  Reprocessing can also be a boon to local communities and create jobs.”

Clean?
Nuclear power has among the lowest CO2 emissions of all energy sources.  Paul J. Meier of the University of Wisconsin analyzed CO2 emissions from various electric power sources over their entire lifecycle…Meier found that for every gigawatt hour (one billion watt hours) of electricity generated”:
-Coal emits 1,041 tons of CO2 equivalent
-Natural gas emits 622 tons
-Solar emits 39 tons
-Hydropower emits 18 tons
And nuclear power emits only 17 tons of CO2.

Check out the entire report, Nuclear Power and the U.S. Energy Future.

*(AREVA is a partner in the construction of this plant, the MOX Fuel Fabrication Facility, currently being built in South Carolina to turn these warheads into fuel for a reliable power supply.)

Image of U.S. EPR™

By Katherine Berezowskyj

Last week, AREVA and Fresno Nuclear Energy Group (FNEG), LLC announced that they have signed a Letter of Intent to formalize their work together in the development of a nuclear power plant project for the Fresno, California area.

This Letter of Intent means that AREVA and Fresno Nuclear Energy Group will begin cooperation on the initial development and permitting process for one or possibly two of AREVA’s U.S. EPR™ plants, beginning with the preparation of the Early Site Permit and subsequent Combined License Application to be submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

John Hutson, President of the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group commented how “AREVA shares our commitment to carbon-free, renewable energy; like us, they believe that nuclear is only part of the solution—AREVA is a world leader in designing wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable energy systems, as well.”

The objective of the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group is to provide an environmentally responsible source of electricity especially to develop the state’s critical agricultural industry and support wildlife preservations efforts that are so vital to the Central Valley of California.

And nuclear energy isn’t just an environmentally responsible energy option; a new U.S. EPR™ would create up to 11,000 direct and indirect jobs during component manufacturing (including AREVA’s Newport News heavy component facility in Virginia) and plant construction.  On top if this, construction and operation would also create more than 400 permanent jobs and spur billion of dollars in investment in the local economy.  When the U.S. EPR™ is up and running it would produce clean, reliable baseload electricity for more than 1.6 million homes.

For more information about this historic partnership for clean energy in California check out the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group, LLC, the U.S. EPR™ by AREVA, and official Press Release.

Thomas Friedman

“I think climate change is real. You don’t? That’s your business. But there are two other huge trends barreling down on us with energy implications that you simply can’t deny. And the way to renew America is for us to take the lead and invent the technologies to address these problems.

The first is that the world is getting crowded. According to the 2006 U.N. population report, “The world population will likely increase by 2.5 billion … passing from the current 6.7 billion to 9.2 billion in 2050. This increase is equivalent to the total size of the world population in 1950, and it will be absorbed mostly by the less developed regions, whose population is projected to rise from 5.4 billion in 2007 to 7.9 billion in 2050.”

The energy, climate, water and pollution implications of adding another 2.5 billion mouths to feed, clothe, house and transport will be staggering….

Now, add one more thing. The world keeps getting flatter — more and more people can now see how we live, aspire to our lifestyle and even take our jobs so they can live how we live. So not only are we adding 2.5 billion people by 2050, but many more will live like “Americans” — with American-size homes, American-size cars, eating American-size Big Macs….

So either the opponents of a serious energy/climate bill with a price on carbon don’t care about our being addicted to oil and dependent on petro-dictators forever or they really believe that we will not be adding 2.5 billion more people who want to live like us, so the price of oil won’t go up very far…

Green hawks believe otherwise. We believe that in a world getting warmer and more crowded with more “Americans,” the next great global industry is going to be E.T., or energy technology based on clean power and energy efficiency. It has to be.”

Greenpeace militants yesterday boarded a ship transporting steam generators to the Olkiluoto 3 EPR reactor in Finland.

The organization’s action, taken in the run-up to December’s climate summit in Copenhagen, is a protest against nuclear energy, which it claims would harm efforts to combat climate change.

Once again, Greenpeace has attacked the wrong target – while no one claims nuclear power is THE solution, it is widely accepted as being ONE of the solutions that can help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

To quote a well-known saying, “Our house is burning and we are looking the other way.” If we apply this metaphor, then Greenpeace’s attempts to stand in the way of nuclear power is like preventing a trusted fire service from getting to the blaze.

In the United States, for example, nuclear energy is by far the largest source of CO2-free electricity production and plays a significant role in preventing additional greenhouse gas emissions.  Its role in preventing emissions is even greater in France, because the country receives roughly 80% of its electricity from nuclear energy.

AREVA is saddened that Greenpeace refuses to engage in a calmer debate on energy issues. According to AREVA spokesperson Jacques-Emmanuel Saulnier, “This buccaneering behavior is the thanks AREVA gets for opening up to this association, which for instance was welcomed just last week to its mining sites in Niger. If Greenpeace wants to find out more about steam generators, it doesn’t need to show off like this – the doors of the Chalon Saint-Marcel plant are wide open for it to come and see how these reactor components are made.”