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MIT Says New Nuclear Won’t Happen Without Policy Help A 2003 study from MIT said that with the government’s help, nuclear power could experience a revival that would place it at the forefront in U.S. electricity generation. An update to that study concludes that while the technology may be better situated than ever thanks to climate-change concerns, it will take changes in government policy for new nuclear projects to become more viable.
The obstacles to new nuclear development haven’t changed much over the last 6 years, with the biggest hurdle being the sheer cost of construction, as well as the expensive financing associated with projects that often run behind schedule and over budget.
Also not looking good for nuclear are state (and perhaps federal) renewable-energy standards, which do not define nuclear power as a renewable source. The report calls it unfortunate that many RPS programs “[confuse] the objective of reducing carbon emissions with encouraging renewable energy in electricity generation.”
Additionally, recent developments surrounding the Yucca Mountain project demonstrate that the nuclear waste-disposal problem is far from being solved. The MIT study estimates that U.S. uranium supplies could support at least 1,000 new reactors. But without policy changes, the anticipated nuclear revival might never come to pass. |
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