The One Good Result of COP28

A t COP28 last year, nuclear power — the form of energy that, if given the chance, could be the most effective path to decarbonization — finally garnered some proper attention. More than 20 countries, including the United States, pledged to triple their nuclear capacity in their efforts to meet climate goals.

Maybe leaders are finally realizing renewables fall short or that nuclear has many advantages, or both. Regardless, it is refreshing to see over two dozen nations recognizing nuclear’s potential.

Indeed, some countries have flip-flopped on their commitments to nuclear power. France meets about 70 percent of its energy needs with nuclear power, far outperforming any other country. France’s earlier plans to reduce its reliance on nuclear power were postponed, then scrapped. In 2022, France said it would build six new nuclear reactors and was contemplating eight more on top of that. Comments in early 2024 clearly signaled those additional eight new plants would also be required.

Sweden surprised many with its announcement this past summer to reinvest in nuclear power, effectively reversing its decision decades ago to phase it out. Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson said, “We need more electricity production . . . and we need a stable energy system.” Sweden is likely trying to get ahead of the energy difficulties that some European countries (such as Britain and Germany) are experiencing. 

Nuclear has been sworn off by so many, stigmatized as being a dangerous and even deadly source of energy. Yet it has proven to be the most reliable and clean, and certainly more affordable than renewables. System costs, for example, are much lower for nuclear since the cost for intermittent renewables to meet baseload demand is significant. Some estimate that the cost per kilowatt of nuclear is about half that of wind and a third of solar.

The U.S. nuclear industry has dramatically improved its safety and security; U.S. plants are among the safest and most secure industrial facilities in the country. The one nuclear-plant accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, albeit only a partial meltdown, caused no deaths and has zero links to any health concerns. By contrast, the pollution caused by coal-fired power is a well-known health concern, and those who mine coal are at an increased risk of various lung diseases, most notably what is sometimes called “black lung.” 

And wind turbines aren’t hazard-free either. Wind-farm workers are potentially exposed to flash burns, electric shock, falls, and thermal burns. Turbines also kill hundreds of thousands of birds and bats each year.

The Department of Energy’s own website touts nuclear energy as “America’s work horse” because nuclear-power plants are producing maximum power more than 92 percent of the time throughout the year, far surpassing any other source of energy; wind and solar have only 35 percent and 25 percent maximum-power capacity, respectively.

With zero emissions (at least after the power stations have been constructed), nuclear power can help governments and regions reach their clean-energy goals much quicker, all while providing electricity around the clock. So while renewables are plagued by the problem of intermittency because the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow, nuclear power remains constantly available.

The U.S. currently has 93 nuclear reactors at 54 power plants. We peaked at 112 reactors in 1990, but several shut down, either because of retirement or pressure from environmental groups. Only four new plants have emerged since 1990.

The renewed interest in nuclear energy will hopefully reverse that trend. Expansion is already on the horizon.

The Vogtle plant in Georgia currently has three nuclear reactors in operation, with the latest one opening this past summer. It is set to open a fourth reactor this year, which will make it the largest nuclear-power plant in the country.

Electricity demand in the United States is projected to increase about 1 percent annually through 2050. It would be prudent to incorporate the most dependable energy source on the market by ramping up its overall contribution to the mix. We certainly can’t rely on wind and solar; as an advanced society, we should not be toying with unreliable and intermittent energy sources.

To maintain the global momentum behind nuclear energy, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, and French president Emmanuel Macron have announced the world’s first Nuclear Energy Summit for March 2024. Hopefully, the United States will be properly represented there. 

If we are serious about curbing our use of fossil fuels, nuclear energy must be part of the solution. Wind and solar are not enough to power a reliable electric grid. Nuclear power will help provide what consumers deserve and depend upon.