Nuclear Power Included in Federal Stimulus Package
High on the new President’s list of priority items for renewable energy are carbon-dioxide capture, hydro, geothermal, wind and solar energy. Nuclear power has its place as well. According to the Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, nuclear power has to be a part of the scenario as well due to it being a base-load and clean energy.
In a speaking engagement at the Western Governor’s Association held in Deer Valley, Chu said three to four nuclear plants could be included in the loan guarantees of the federal stimulus package. Lt. Gary Herbert, Utah’s replacement for Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. gladly entertained this message.
The governor-to-be is replacing Utah’s governor as soon as he is confirmed for the position of the President’s ambassador to China. Mr. Herbert said the nation is nervous after the 1979 incident, the Three Mile Island meltdown, in Pennsylvania.
He wants to see nuclear power invested in more heavily after the federal regulations being enacted are more clear.
Transition Power, a company in Utah, wants to construct a nuclear plant next to the Green River in Emery County. The former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Nils Diaz, is the administrative policy advisor of Transition Power.
Three Mile Island was the last nuclear plant constructed. In order to restart this industry, construction workers would have to have specialized training according to Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary.
Unless this industry has a certain future, universities that have reduced programs in nuclear engineering will not increase the programs, said Chu. He also said problems considered too great to overcome by anti-nuclear activists such as safety, waste and the rapid increase of weapons-grade equipment can be dealt with.
The Cabinet member visiting on behalf of Obama concluded the governor’s assessment is correct when it comes to developing renewable energy in the West. This cannot happen without the construction of additional power lines to channel geothermal, hydro, wind and solar energy.
Taking migration and habitat needs of wildlife into consideration has already been agreed upon and a contract signed by the governors and feds when choosing the spot for building the up-to-date transmission lines.
The states of Wyoming, California, Nevada and Arizona will be the sites for offices for the federal planning of renewable energy, according to Ken Salazar, the Interior Secretary who recently made another trip to Utah. This will be where experts will take charge of the projects relating to renewable energy so they will not get lost in bureaucracy as many things do.
The governor has prioritized getting the lines for transmission constructed and functioning.
Chu also said the U.S. had fallen behind in the lead it once held to China when it came to energy development. China uses larger lines than the U.S. to allow power to move at a faster rate.
Chu said you do not want small lines.
A technology called ’smart-grid’ developed as an automated system has been in the works for at least 2 years. This is needed to transmit efficiently and the Energy department is now asking for help from many companies, including utility companies for setting standards.
Chu believes it will take about 20 years to get the new transmission system built and operational which coincides with the development of renewable power on a commercial scale. Planning these together will be the smart choice.
Read more about China Renewable Energy Market Outlook
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I am going to be generous and allow for the fact that Dr. Chu might have been misunderstood or misquoted in the following:
In a speaking engagement at the Western Governor’s Association held in Deer Valley, Chu said three to four nuclear plants could be included in the loan guarantees of the federal stimulus package. Lt. Gary Herbert, Utah’s replacement for Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. gladly entertained this message.
The reality is that the stimulus package contained ZERO incentives or loan guarantee programs that included nuclear fission power as an option. The only loan guarantee program in existence that includes nuclear fission is the one created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 – that one provided $18.5 billion for nuclear reactors and $2 billion for fuel cycle facilities.
Rod Adams
Publisher, Atomic Insights
this is all well and good BUT 20 YEARS ???
Last year we Americans spent $663B (54% of our budget) on defense, and $26B (2% of our budget) at the department of energy. Germany almost spent almost $12B on energy and less than $5B on defense.In the article Steven Chu refers to falling behind China on energy development, well they spent about $60B on defense (and they are now 2nd in defense spending behind our $663B) and won’t say how much on energy, but you can bet it is way over the little $26B budget that we are stuck with. So, I love my country BUT don’t want to become 2nd class. We need to spend a lot less on defense, and a lot more on everything else,
ESPECIALLY ENERGY. Google up ’summary of US budget” tell someone (like a congressman, a state representative, a mayor) and ask them if we have 20 years to get our transmission lines built.