(459c) Getting to Zero Emissions: The Need for Nuclear Energy

Sustainability demands a scalable source of clean and cheap electricity. Nuclear power can deliver that. It has the smallest environmental footprint and the best safety record but first public opposition to nuclear power must be overcome. I will address the concerns typically voiced in opposing nuclear power such plant safety, long-term storage of waste, fuel supply, and cost. Getting the public to embrace nuclear power is a Herculean task, but it must be undertaken. We have to (i) educate the public (ii) stop closing functional nuclear power plants; (iii) remove the barriers for financing nuclear projects; (iv) expand the fleet of nuclear power plants; and (v) develop and deploy the next generation of walk-away safe plants that can also use the spent fuel as a resource.