nuclear-news

Bernie’s nuclear plan, explained, By KELSEY TAMBORRINO  Politico Newsletter 03/10/2020   
BREAKING DOWN BERNIE’S NUCLEAR PLAN: Sen. Bernie Sanders has pledged to secure 100 percent of U.S. electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and he’d do so in part by ending new licenses to nuclear power plants. But his opposition to nuclear energy may not be as radical as his critics fear, Pro’s Gavin Bade reports this morning. Sanders’ campaign says he would not order the vast majority of existing reactors in the U.S. to shut down, and campaign aides privately acknowledge that Sanders will lack the tools to bring an end to nuclear power within the next decade.Sanders’ opposition to nuclear power stands in contrast to former Vice President Joe Biden, who promises to “identify the future of nuclear power,” including new waste disposal systems and small, modular reactors that the industry hopes will be safer and easier to deploy. The nuclear issue could affect upcoming Democratic primaries in states like Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio and Connecticut, where state nuclear subsidies keep plants running and employ thousands of union jobs.

Sanders’ allies say the candidate would prioritize phasing out natural gas and coal-fired power before shutting any nuclear generators. The campaign declined to give further detail on how it would ensure nuclear plants are not replaced by gas, but emphasized Sanders’ call for a complete phase-out of fossil fuels and a ban on hydraulic fracking for gas. …..https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-energy/2020/03/10/bernies-nuclear-plan-explained-785957