atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2019

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atw Vol. 64 (2019) | Issue 4 ı April 238 NUCLEAR TODAY John Shepherd is a journalist who has covered the nuclear industry for the past 20 years and is currently editor-in-chief of UK-based Energy Storage Publishing. Reference links: Testimony from Dr Fatih Birol https://bit.ly/2EuwpsN EPRI study https://bit.ly/2VPA5MQ Events of the Past Need Not Dictate an Industry’s Future The US will have reached an important milestone in March of this year, when it marks 40 years since the accident that damaged the core of the Three Mile Island (TMI) 2 nuclear reactor. As I write, there has been no public relations offensive of note by nuclear energy opponents in the build up to the memory of what happened in Pennsylvania on 28 March 1979 – which is perhaps testament to how the nuclear debate has moved on since. For the record, the event was caused by a combination of equipment failure and the inability of plant operators to understand the reactor’s condition at certain times during the event. And while there were no reported injuries or adverse health effects from the accident, TMI was a turning point for the industry in the US and arguably worldwide. In the US, the event led to the establishment of the Atlanta- based Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the formation of what is today the Nuclear Energy Institute. Despite its setbacks, nuclear has powered ahead and is increasingly recognised for its durability, reliability, safety and sustainability in a world that sometimes seems to have lost sight of the need for real energy security while pursuing fads of the day. Indeed, a study published in 2018 by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) indicated that US plants are nearly 100 times more safe than the safety goals set by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. One welcome intervention came recently from the head of the Paris-based International Energy Association (IEA), Dr Fatih Birol, who gave testimony to the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on prospects for global energy markets, including the role of the US. In his wide-ranging testimony, no one could be in any doubt about the relevance – and the importance – of nuclear energy now and into the future. Birol said nuclear “should be seen as a key asset in the US (which) has been a leader in nuclear power generation technology for 60 years, alongside France, Japan and Russia”. Nuclear still generates “twice as much low-carbon electricity in the US as wind and solar combined”, Birol said, adding that nuclear’s baseload capacity in the country also played a “major role in maintaining electricity security”. He said this was especially true in the northern regions, which “experience spikes in electricity and gas demand during extreme cold spells like the recent polar vortex – times when solar production can be challenged”. But Birol pointed out that China is set to be the “new leader” in terms of nuclear energy if US policies do not change. “China has rapidly developed nuclear power over the past two decades, increasing from just three operating reactors in 2000 to 46 at the end of last year,” Birol said. “Nuclear capacity in China is set to overtake that of the US within 10 years.” According to the IEA chief, “effective policy action” is needed in the US if it is to avoid the loss of “a substantial proportion of its (nuclear) capacity”. “From my vantage point, this would be detrimental to both energy security and clean energy objectives.” Birol said American innovation could also play a leading role in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), pointing out that there was “significant international appetite for innovative approaches to nuclear power, including SMRs”, which could offer significant benefits, such as factory fabrication, flexibility in where they can be deployed and lower upfront investment. The US has to continue to “accelerate innovation in new nuclear technologies” such as SMRs to safeguard the long term contribution of nuclear, Birol said. However, “a first priority should be to safeguard the existing fleet”. Birol told legislators: “Nuclear plant lifetimes should be extended as long as safety considerations allow. In large parts of the US this presents a challenge, as wholesale markets don’t value the energy security and clean energy contribution of nuclear.” This was the third consecutive time the IEA’s executive director has given testimony to the Senate committee, so his remarks should not be seen as a dramatic intervention, particularly in terms of nuclear, because the agency’s brief is to cover the full spectrum of energy issues in its 30 member countries and beyond. What is notable, however, is that nuclear is rightly recognised by the IEA as a valued and much-needed contributor to the international energy mix. From a strictly personal point of view, I found it refreshing to hear the head of an esteemed international body talk about nuclear in such terms. I’ve heard no such endorsement for some time now in the UK (although I stand to be corrected). By the same token, I don’t recall any public airing of note of late on the benefits of nuclear in the European Parliament, regardless of that body’s largely consultative role in such matters. Nuclear continues to enjoy strong political support in other countries, such as China (as Birol mentioned), Russia, and nuclear newcomer the United Arab Emirates. Policies in those countries are driven of course by a more ‘top-down approach’, but that does nothing to dilute the value of nuclear in terms of energy security and its contribution to supporting a nation’s economic well being. Meanwhile, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum reported that two ‘nuclear recruiting’ events were held in the country recently, attended by students expecting to graduate in 2020 and looking to start their careers. Memories of the Fukushima-Daiichi accident have not faded in Japan, but lessons have been learned and the country is moving on – and preparing for a new nuclear generation at the industry’s helm. We would do well to reflect on some words from Sir Winston Churchill if the nuclear industry is to forge ahead in helping to resolve the energy challenges of the future: “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Nuclear Today Events of the Past Need Not Dictate an Industry’s Future ı John Shepherd
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atw - International Journal for Nuclear Power | 04.2019

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