Insight / US Says Nuclear Is Vital To National Security As DOE Works On Rescue Proposals

The US Department of Energy, he said, is studying ways to bail out nuclear (and coal) facilities, including potentially by mandating grid operators to purchase power from them.

Supporters say it’s a sensible move because the nation’s power grid cannot rely solely on natural gas, wind, and solar. Opponents of the nuclear industry say nuclear power that was once advertised as being “too cheap to meter” has become too costly for electric utilities to buy.

The situation, exacerbated by robust competition in the new-build sector from China and Russia, has seen the nuclear industry and its supporters call on the government to enact legislation that would support the continued operation of nuclear plants.

Mr Perry said bailing out nuclear power plants is as important to national security as keeping the military strong, and that the cost to Americans should not be an issue.

In this special report, NucNet editor-in-chief David Dalton looks at the reasons for the nuclear industry’s problems in the US – and the possible solutions.

Full report for subscribers: https://bit.ly/2zewod8