Upcoming Decisions on US Nuclear Program

Will the events in Japan cause a rethinking of US nuclear energy policy?

The United States under the Obama administration and the Democrat-led 111th Congress has already made serious re-commitments to nuclear power as part of the domestic energy mix and a response to the greenhouse warming caused by fossil fuels. Most significant, perhaps, were tens of billions of dollars worth of loan guarantees for construction of the first new nukes in a generation. The loan guarantees are necessary because the free market regards nuclear plants as too risky to invest in. Solar and alternative energy does not receive this level of federal subsidy. Despite the availability of the pre-approved federal bailout, new nuclear construction has yet to start.

The question remains: will the newly budget-conscious GOP-dominated 112th Congress fund all the nuclear loan guarantees currently available or in the pipeline?

The much-touted "nuclear renaissance" (a term coined in a multimillion-dollar PR campaign by the industry's lobby arm, the Nuclear Energy Institute) also depends on issuance by the NRC of licenses for new US nukes. This has not happened yet — although applications are now before the NRC.

The NRC expects to decide by late summer on approval of Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor design, which would then be the basis of several new reactor licensing decisions.

But the signals from the Obama administration — even after the Japan meltdown — are that it will push forward with its nuclear plans, despite budget deficits and safety perils. It is one of the few Obama policies that gets strong support from the GOP.

• "Factbox: Japan Effect On New U.S. Nuclear Power Plants," Reuters, March 14, 2011.
• "Obama Stands by Nuclear Power," Wall St. Journal, March 15, 2011, by Jared A. Favole and Tennille Tracy. 
• "Between BP and Japan, Is Barack Obama Snakebit On Energy Policy?" Politico, March 15, 2011, by Darren Samuelsohn.
• "US Energy Chief Gives Cautious Backing to Nuclear," Reuters, March 15, 2011, by Jeff Mason and Tom Doggett.

MAJOR STORIES:

• "Crisis at Japanese Nuclear Complex Prompts Calls for U.S. Review," McClatchy Newspapers, March 15, 2011, by Rob Hotakainen, Renee Schoof, and Margaret Talev.
• "Japan's Nuke Threat 'A Wake-Up Call' for the U.S.," USA TODAY, March 15, 2011, by Peter Eisler, Julie Schmit, and Donna Leinwand.
• "Nuclear Experts Weigh in on GE Containment System," Washington Post, March 15, 2011, by Jia Lynn Yang.
• "San Onofre Nuclear Plant Can Withstand up to 7.0 Quake, Is Protected by a 25-Foot Tsunami Wall, Edison Says," Los Angeles Times, March 14, 2011, by Catherine Saillant.
• "San Onofre Nuclear Plant Can Only Withstand a 7-Point Quake," LA Observed, March 14, 2011, by Mark Lacter.
• Diablo Canyon: "California's Fukushima in Waiting?" Rolling Stone, March 14, 2011, by Tim Dickenson.
• "CA Came Close to Nuclear Disaster," KTXL Sacramento, March 13, 2011, by John Lobertini.
• "Can U.S. Nuclear Plants Handle a Major Natural Disaster?" ProPublica/Salon, March 14, 2011, by John Sullivan.
• "Nuclear Power and Earthquake Zones Overlap in the U.S.," Mother Nature Network, March 11, 2011, by Andrew Schenkel.
• "Scientists Say Japan Quake Shows US Nuclear Risk," Reuters, March 11, 2011, Scott DiSavino.
• "Japan Crisis Should Not Deter Iowa Nuclear Plants: Official," Reuters, March 14, 2011, by Kay Henderson and David Bailey.