Nuclear – An essential part of the solution
In just a few days, nuclear scientists, engineers and technologists will begin arriving in San Antonio, Texas for the 2015 annual meeting of the American Nuclear Society. The theme for this year’s meeting is Nuclear Technology: An Essential Part of the Solution.
Dr. Dale Klein, a former Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and currently Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research at The University of Texas System, is the meeting chairman.
Society leaders and committee members will spend most of Sunday afternoon in meetings conducting the business of the society. On Sunday evening, nearly everyone who is at the meeting will be attending the traditional President’s reception cocktail party and networking event in the vendor expo hall.
Here is quote from the meeting agenda that briefly describes the opening plenary session that is scheduled for Monday morning.
The world-wide demand for electrical energy continues to grow and utilities are strategically meeting this demand with a diverse energy portfolio. Nuclear based electricity has many benefits including cost and risk diversification. Speakers will discuss why nuclear technology is an essential part of the solution to meet present and future energy needs.
Speakers:
- Doyle Beneby (President and CEO CPS Energy), Welcome from CPS Energy
- Tom Fanning (Chairman, CEO Southern Company), Cyber Security, Physical Security, and America’s Energy Future
- David Scott (Former Executive Director of Economics and Energy Affairs at the Executive Affairs Authority, United Arab Emirates), Decision for Nuclear in the United Arab Emirates
- Scott Tinker (Director, Bureau of Economics Geology, The University of Texas at Austin), Shale Gas: Bubble or Coming Boom and Possible Impact on Nuclear Energy
The President’s Special Session should also attract a big crowd because it addresses a topic that will either help or hinder the growth of nuclear technology applications. Titled Radiation Conversations: Informing Consumers and Policy Makers this session will address improving the way nuclear professionals communicate with the general public and policy makers about radiation dose.
It’s no wonder the public and policy makers are often confused about the benefits and risks of radiation and in understanding the difference between a dangerous dose and one whose risks are either non-existent or so low that they are not worth worrying about. Professionals have managed to make the topic far more confusing and controversial than it needs to be. We need to fix the way that we think, talk and write about the topic.
As usual, there is also a rich program of technical sessions.
Even at this late date, I have not decided whether or not I can afford to cover the event. I need to decide by tomorrow evening. You can help me make the decision.
If you would like some first hand stories from the meeting, please make a contribution either today or tomorrow. The response will determine if I hit the road or not. Atomic Insights is a for-profit venture pursuing a mission of spreading atomic energy understanding; donations are not tax deductible.
Update: Though additional donations are always welcome, I want to thank the people who sent a clear message indicating they want me to attend the meeting and provide some reports. If you are going to be in San Antonio, please take the time to say hello. I’ll try to make my presence and location known.
Unless I read this wrong, isn’t this just a meeting with a bunch of people preaching to the choir. Nuclear advocates need to get to the politicians. They need to form a PAC, that’s how you get stuff done these days. That’s a PAC I would donate to.
The American Nuclear Society is not preaching to anyone, choir or otherwise. It is a 55 year old technical, scientific society whose members are interested in nuclear science and technology.
They gather twice a year to talk with each other, share information about interesting work they are doing, build personal contacts/relationships, establish committees to perform valuable services like set standards, and help new entrants into the field develop in their careers.
I’ve been a member – of and on – since the mid 1990s. I find it to be a useful and valuable organization, within the limits of its charter.
Ah you’ve got the wrong group. ANS is a scientific society. It doesn’t lobby. The Nuclear Energy Institute has a political action committee. Details at this URL
https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00239848
Its heartening to see you use the expression “part of the solution”. I think you will find that that kind of approach, even if only while using semantics, to be far more successful than constantly presenting the renewable industry as the enemy.
Face it, renewables are here to stay. Better you work for an alliance than for a conflict.
@poa
After evaluating all of the criteria by which one can grade power sources, I’ve recently determined that the coal industry is a more natural ally to the nuclear industry than the unreliables industry is. We have a lot in common, face common opponents, and can help each other improve our overall ability to serve the broader energy markets.
Well…..thats a losing strategy, Rod. In light of your feelings and beliefs regarding a political and fossil/coal industry conspiracy against NE, it is also a fairly surreal strategy. ‘Ol John Q is becoming more and more sympathetic to the weaning of our reliance on fossil fuels. And FUD or not, John Q is buying the rap about renewables. Why would you want to align yourself with the team thats beginning to lose the PR battle? Makes no sense. Besides, I have come to believe your efforts are founded in some honestly altruistic motives. How can you reconcile your concern for the environment with an effort to place NE in the fossil fuel camp? Give it try in Santa Barbara right now. Good luck with that. And yes, I realize you said “coal”, but do you really think John Q separates coal from oil in their understanding of major polluting industries?
But hey, maybe you’re onto something. We subsidize the fossil fuel industry to the tune of a BILLION DOLLERS A DAY, so why not try to jump on the gravy train, eh. I mean gee, its only our tax dollars going up in smog, er, I mean, smoke…..
Here is what the Renewable Energy policy is doing to North Carolina. What is it also doing to the flora and fauna of NC by wiping out the forests that certain species are depend on and replacing them with ones that are not native to NC? Another failed liberal; experiment. Oh, that’s right they can just blame the extinction on Climate change and get more support.
Lost link for above
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-europes-climate-policies-have-led-to-more-trees-cut-down-in-the-us/2015/06/01/ab1a2d9e-060e-11e5-bc72-f3e16bf50bb6_story.html
“Another failed liberal; experiment”
You’re dancing just the way our “leaders” on both sides of the aisle have trained you to do. Yeah, one side does it right, and the other side does it wrong.
Gosh, how simple!!!
(Minded)
So says the person who presumes to speak for “John Q.”
So apparently, when the “dance” results in John Q “buying the rap about renewables,” that’s a good thing. Otherwise, poor John is just a dancing fool.
Dance on, John Q.
Actually, I never said “thats a good thing”, Brian. Nor do I think so. But hey, I can see how you would think so, living in your tightly focused tunnel. Essential that you hang a label on people, eh? Saves the trouble of actually having to think about the issue at hand.
I wonder, just what side of the aisle do you think the politicians that enabled the largest pellet plant in NC to be built in s “light industry” zone by changing the zoning to “heavy industry”. And we all know just how concerned about our forests the right is, eh? I mean gee, why else would they be selling off our federal lands to foreign investers and corporations.
Think, man. You might find it enlightening. Or not.
POA – Labels? I’m not the one going around calling people “John Q.” That’s your term, and I thought I was being helpful by borrowing it.
Happy to make a contribution. It all works together for good…
Dr. Klein is one of our top nuclear leaders. Glad he is supporting this meeting. Safe travels to Texas.
Seeing as Dr. Klein is working in Austin (I assume) perhaps he could have a talk with the Austin City Council about their predecessors’ insane energy policies. We’re paying $110 million per year to a “bio-fuel” (wood burning) generator for “availability”. If we actually buy any electricity from them, which we have not and will not (too expensive ~.17/KWHr) it will be even more money.
Yet the previous City Council claimed our rates were going up because it “has been a long time since Austin Energy had a rate hike”. Never mind the $100 million a year going down the toilet.
Then there’s the part where the Austin Energy newsletter claims that subscribers to “Green Choice” (the wind energy program) get 100% of their electricity from wind. They don’t even have the decency to include the word “averaged” before the word ‘electricity’. The rest of us get stuck with paying for the increase in spot market purchases to balance the unreliable wind energy.
Every single source of electricity purchased in the last eight years has been more expensive than the consultant predicted electricity from an STNP expansion would be.
The current head of Austin energy is a Californian anti-nuclear activist. Not an energy expert, and he needs to be fired.
Whew. I guess I should send that to the new City Council, not post it here. But if you feel like bending Klein’s ear about Austin, there are some talking points. Might want to tone them down a bit….