nuclear-news

Joe Biden’s support for the nuclear industry is stated, but it’s not clear

Nuclear should be considered part of clean energy standard, White House says

Biden’s plan goes beyond most states’ definitions of clean power. Ars Technica

TIM DE CHANT – 4/3/2021   More details have emerged about the climate and energy priorities of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, and they include support for nuclear power and carbon capture with sequestration (CCS).

In a press conference yesterday with reporters, White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy said the administration would seek to implement a clean energy standard that would encourage utilities to use greener power sources. She added that both nuclear and CCS would be included in the administration’s desired portfolio. The clean energy standard adds a climate dimension to the Biden administration’s recently announced infrastructure plan, seeking to put the US on a path to eliminating carbon pollution.

………. But nuclear has been criticized by some environmentalists over its radioactive waste and concerns about meltdowns.

Typically, state standards do not include nuclear in their portfolios. Rather, they usually focus on renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydropower. McCarthy did not provide details about how far a CES would go in supporting nuclear power. It’s possible that the policy may only cover plants that are currently operating, but it may also extend to include new plants. The former is more likely than the latter, though, given the challenges and costs involved in building new nuclear capacity……… https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/04/nuclear-should-be-considered-part-of-clean-energy-standard-white-house-says/

April 5, 2021 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized