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Nuclear

Nuclear Life Extension

Deciding whether to go forward with a second license renewal.

A majority of nuclear power plant operators already have received operating license renewals – to operate their plants for 20 years beyond the 40 years outlined in their initial operating licenses. As utilities decide whether or not to invest in license renewal, they must consider three key questions.
Byline: 

Lee Williams

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Is Nuclear Energy Still Viable?

Cheap natural gas is not just hurting coal. It’s doing the same to nuclear.

As the nation strives for cleaner air and less carbon emissions, nuclear – the most promising carbon-free power source – faces stiff competition from natural gas, which is cheap, abundant, and a lot easier to get permitted and built than a conventional reactor.
Byline: 

Ken Silverstein

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Nuclear's New Chance

Reprocessing nuclear fuel is a sustainable and viable option.

Reprocessing nuclear fuel separates the uranium and the plutonium for the rest of the spent fuel, enabling plant operators to reuse the uranium. But concerns over nuclear proliferation are stopping it in this country.
Byline: 

Tim Echols

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Our Nuclear Lifeline

Learning from the tragedy of Vermont Yankee.

Learning from the tragedy of Vermont Yankee. Can merchant nuclear operators compete in the market place with cheap natural gas and subsidized renewables?
Byline: 

Judd Gregg

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Digest (December 2014)

NRG Energy and MGM Resorts International completed installation of the world's largest rooftop solar array on a convention center;

Southern California Edison on November 5 announced the largest purchase of grid-connected energy storage in U.S. history. NRG Energy acquired Pure Energies Group; Duke Energy Progress filed with FERC for approval to purchase $1.2 billion in generating assets;

The U.S. Department of Energy authorized Bechtel to resume engineering work at a facility that will treat some of the nation's liquid radioactive waste; Burns & McDonnell plans to develop a grid stability awareness system;

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of New York's first energy management network operations center. And others...

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China's Leap Forward

China has invested billions in developing reactor prototypes.

China is currently the world leader in investment in and development of new nuclear power facilities.
Byline: 

John A. Bewick

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Peril at Home

We could see 11-22GW of nuclear facing early retirement in the next 10 years.
The existing U.S. nuclear fleet, representing 100GW or 20% of our electric generation, is in economic peril and in danger of declining even more rapidly than expected.
Byline: 

Christopher Dann

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Nuclear At a Crossroads

Wind, nuclear, and gas resources must work together – not at cross-purposes.

Why the U.S. must maintain current levels of nuclear energy production to achieve carbon reduction goals.
Byline: 

Hon. John R. Norris

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Next-Gen Nuclear

Tomorrow’s options for low-carbon baseload generation.

The nuclear renaissance might be postponed, but technologies continue advancing. The next generation of plants will apply innovation for safety, efficiency, and modularity.
Byline: 

John A. Bewick

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