The Nuclear Option

Nuclear energy must be part of the solution.

A Green Nuclear Future

Ralph Izzo 09.21.07, 6:00 AM ET

NEWARK, NJ -
Climate change requires new thinking about energy. Our nation needs to move toward an energy mix less dependent on fossil fuels, for the sake of a healthier, greener and more secure future.

Electric utilities can deploy many tools to help society toward a sustainable, low-carbon future. These tools must include new, clean central station power, particularly nuclear; renewable sources of energy; and conservation and energy efficiency improvements.

In fact, conservation and energy-efficiency improvements must be the "first fuels" in this effort. Steps to promote the use of energy....

OK, agreed. We must be better stewards of our resources. That doesn't mean going back to the stone age or a subsistence economy as some of the "greenies" suggest.

...Indeed, it is difficult to see how we can overcome climate change without nuclear energy being part of the solution. Nuclear power is green power. It is the only proven, available technology capable of producing vast quantities of safe, reliable and affordable energy with near zero-carbon emissions...

Nuclear powered electrical generation is definitely part of the solution.

...To reduce regulatory and policy risk to acceptable levels, it is also necessary to resolve issues surrounding the storage of nuclear waste. Nuclear plants were not originally designed for long-term, high-level waste storage. Our nation must summon the political will to move ahead with a permanent disposal solution.

Finally, public support will be vital. Polls indicate that nuclear energy enjoys approval ratings of 80% or higher...(complete commentary here).

We always come back to the waste issue. I wonder what the impact on global warming would be if we fired our radioactive waste into the sun? Maybe we need to focus NASA on developing some kind of waste transport system.