Nuclear Power Outlook

[thackney]

Nuclear Power Outlook
https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/section_issues.php#npo
 5/7/18

In EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2018 (AEO2018) Reference case, U.S. nuclear power generating capacity is projected to decline from 99.3 gigawatts (GW) to 79.1 GW over the projection period of 2017–50. To address some of the uncertainty surrounding this projection, this article presents sensitivity cases under different assumptions for oil and natural gas availability, nuclear power unit costs, and carbon policies.

The sensitivity cases results presented here illustrate three different types of uncertainty (Table 1):

* The uncertainty related to higher or lower levels of natural gas availability as addressed in the High Oil and Natural Gas Resource and Technology case and the Low Oil and Natural Gas Resource and Technology case.

* The uncertainty of lower or higher operating and capital costs for both new and existing nuclear units.

* The uncertainty of alternative levels of carbon emissions regulation, as represented by different fees on the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2)....

[driftdiver]

Shocking

So the outlook isn't glowing?

[thackney]

Shocking

So the outlook isn't glowing?

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Ironically, nuclear is the most efficient and least polluting of any source of power.

It main drawback is the increasing stockpiles of spent fuel and their ultimate disposition.

[Joe Wooten]

Ironically, nuclear is the most efficient and least polluting of any source of power.

It main drawback is the increasing stockpiles of spent fuel and their ultimate disposition.

I disagree, the main drawback is the very high capital costs and the amount of time it takes to get one built. That's the main killer. Time and money and nukes are high on both.

[thackney]

Ironically, nuclear is the most efficient and least polluting of any source of power.

It main drawback is the increasing stockpiles of spent fuel and their ultimate disposition.

When sanity is used, reprocessing of fuel greatly diminishes this drawback.

[Suppressed]

Funny thing is, the younger generation gets it.  They tend to be pro-nuclear, as they're so anti-carbon.