Environment America’s Post

Nuclear energy is essential as the United States transitions to a low-carbon economy. We applaud the bipartisan support of 15 Senators who recently introduced a resolution in support of nuclear energy. The time for investment is now. https://lnkd.in/dTVNjt9Q

Great illustration to help understand the amount of energy nuclear provides from an amazingly small volume of fuel, and how the spent fuel is safely managed and contained.

The other side of the ‘waste’ coin: This is a picture of nuclear energy being safely stored for the future. You could call it inventory. The only reason it is not being used atm is the economics dictate new uranium is less expensive. This is an opportunity for future generations.

The key for people who care about the climate /environment : The plant generated 119 million MWh of clean power from 1972 through 1996, which was enough to power half a million homes each year. The energy produced from this fuel helped avoid 70 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. The pile of ash from coal for equivalent coal burning - 1 MWh with coal leaves behind * 185 pounds of coal ash - so 11 million tons of coal ash, * 19 mg of mercury - so 1700 tons of mercury . .. all pumped into the air and dispersed - falling on lakes, woods and wetlands. source for coal pollution - https://lnkd.in/edZk4Fzw

Be informed and make decisions based on facts not on BS

OBSERVATION: Georgia Power has started commercial operations of its new nuclear power unit, the first constructed in the U.S. in three decades. https://lnkd.in/e7j-H-D5 The utility has two existing reactors at the site, and on July 28, Georgia Power received approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to start loading radioactive fuel into a fourth nuclear unit, expected to come online by the end of this year or beginning of 2024. Once the fourth unit comes online, the system will be the largest producer of clean energy in the U.S., expected to produce 1.1 gigawatts of energy.   COMMENT: More than half a million businesses and homes in Georgia Power’s service area may now begin accessing this zero-emissions energy source thereby helping to reduce the amount of carbon in the environment. This new source of clean power should be well received, especially by young adults (free access https://lnkd.in/eiAy2NB4 ) who have become much more politically active than prior generations at the same age, including demonstrating in support of climate change action.

Southern Illinois Now Feature Story Nutherm International: Powering nuclear safety innovation from Southern Illinois When you think of Southern Illinois industries, nuclear power generation might not be the first thing that comes to mind simply because the region does not have any nuclear power plants. However, a company in Mt. Vernon, Nutherm International, Inc. , and its team of mad scientist engineers have been providing some of the nuclear power industry’s highest quality safety-related systems, known as Class 1E components, for 45 years. Most recently, Nutherm was awarded a HUBZone Certification, a federal program that fuels small business growth in historically underutilized business zones by awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies. This means that companies like Nutherm will be given preferential consideration for certain government contracts. HUBZone-certified businesses also get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions. Read the full article here:

Georgia Power Company has built America’s first new nuclear reactor in decades. Is this a sign of the shift that some utilities are making away from fossil fuels? No. Not really. The reactor, Unit 3, has been in the works at the state's Plant Vogtle since 2009 and was originally slated to launch in 2016. It has already begun generating electricity and will ultimately power 500,000 businesses and homes across Georgia, Alabama and Florida. Original cost estimate for this unit and a second unit was $15 billion. Final cost has more than doubled to $31 billion from original estimates, dashing hopes that nuclear energy could become a feasible alternative to fossil fuels in the region. Georgia state regulators approved a monthly rate increase of $3.78 for Georgia Power’s 2.7 million customers, who have already experienced charges for higher fuel costs. Meaningful explanations for the cost overruns and 7 year delay are not forthcoming from Georgia Power.

Ontario Power Generation is moving ahead with a plan to extend the life of the aging Pickering Nuclear Generating Station by decades, as the province tries to secure more electricity supply in the face of increasing demand.

New nuclear power in the United States? As far as green energy goes this needs to be a big piece of the future. https://lnkd.in/gXZKiZcC #greenenergy #ev #electrification