Full Title: The Nuclear Power Dilemma (2018)
Author(s): Steve Clemmer, Jeremy Richardson, Sandra Sattler, and Dave Lochbaum
Publisher(s): Union of Concerned Scientists
Publication Date: November 1, 2018
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
For decades, nuclear power has provided most of the nation’s carbon-free electricity. However, the owners have shut down many nuclear plants in the last five years or announced plans to close them well before their operating licenses expire, generating a discussion among policymakers and regulators about the impact of early retirements. The primary reasons for these early closures are the economic challenges brought on by cheap natural gas, diminished demand for electricity, falling costs for renewable energy, rising operating costs, and safety and performance problems.
The possibility that the nation will replace existing nuclear plants with natural gas and coal rather than low-carbon sources raises serious concerns about our ability to achieve the deep cuts in carbon emissions needed to limit the worst impacts of climate change.