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Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

Atomic Show #264 – Building momentum in advanced nuclear energy

January 28, 2019 By Rod Adams 7 Comments

It’s not glaringly obvious, but preparatory steps enabling a take off for advanced nuclear power systems are making measurable progress.

Enabling legislative acts have been passed by both the Senate and House and signed by the President, turning them into laws requiring actions.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is back to full strength and under a skilled, experienced chair.

Two of the Commissioners have both education and work experience as nuclear power engineers. A majority of the Commission has indicated that they have a better understanding of their legislated responsibility to take actions that provide “reasonable assurance of adequate protection.”

Nuclear energy has been garnering bipartisan support in Congress as one of the few topics that can attract support from a variety of often contentious groups and individuals.

People who care deeply about clean air and water like the fact that nuclear energy can run inside sealed buildings and produces no air or water pollution.

People who care about the future for all of the world’s children like developing a powerful technology that has three useful superfuels – uranium, thorium and plutonium. Taken together, those fuels provide an inexhaustible resource.

People who want the US to have “energy dominance” recognize that we will have more fuel to export if we consume less of it at home. Some even recognize that we can build powerful, friendly global relationships by engaging in cooperative efforts to empower the world with actinides.

There may even be some people in the traditional hydrocarbon supply economy who recognize that their skills, capital, and attention could be invested in an atomic future. They might realize they would have more long term success by building capability in atomic energy than expending their resources drilling ever deeper holes in ever more challenging locations with ever increasing opposition from people who have determined that the atmosphere doesn’t need an ever increasing quantity of hydrocarbon residues.

On Sunday, Jan 27, 2019, I gathered a group of people who are paying close attention to the incremental developments that are adding up to make it possible to deploy new and improved atomic energy systems.

The panel included:

Meredith Angwin – Author of Campaigning for Clean Air, Voices from Vermont Yankee, and an upcoming book titled Shorting the Grid.

Steve Aplin – blogger at Canadian Energy Issues

Dr. Ben Heard – founder and director at Bright New World

Jessica Lovering – Director of Energy at the Breakthrough Institute

http://s3.amazonaws.com/AtomicShowFiles/atomic_20190127_264.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:56 — 69.7MB)

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Filed Under: Advanced Atomic Technologies, Atomic politics, Clean Energy, Climate change, Podcast

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About Rod Adams

Rod Adams is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience, now serving as a Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, an emerging climate-focused fund. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial discussion and analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology and policies for several decades. He is the founder of Atomic Insights and host and producer of The Atomic Show Podcast.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarJim Little says

    January 28, 2019 at 8:06 AM

    Nice job, Rod.
    Especially enjoyed this one!

    Reply
  2. AvatarMurray Chapman says

    January 30, 2019 at 9:43 AM

    Good to have you back.
    Regards UK nuclear, I think the Japanese have correctly assessed sovereign risk as too high. Current government has made promises to Japanese car makers re Brexit that they look as though they won’t be able to deliver.
    Hopefully post Brexit or its cancellation we will get a government that can deliver on its commitments.

    Reply
    • AvatarMurray Chapman says

      February 3, 2019 at 3:09 PM

      Nissan just announced new X-trail won’t be built in UK, partially due to Brexit.

      Reply
  3. AvatarFermiAged says

    January 30, 2019 at 3:12 PM

    Off Topic – Could PGE’s woes delay closing of Diablo Canyon? PGE wants to break/renegotiate power purchase contracts with renewable suppliers.

    Reply
    • AvatarDavid B. Benson says

      January 31, 2019 at 4:05 AM

      Unfortunately, not possible due to California politics.

      Reply
  4. AvatarJasonC says

    January 31, 2019 at 10:06 PM

    The new law which was mentioned and signed a few weeks ago sounds very interesting. What was the name of that bill?
    It might be interesting to read an further analysis of how this changes the regulatory landscape.

    Reply
    • AvatarRod Adams says

      February 1, 2019 at 12:16 PM

      NEIMA Nuclear Energy Innnovation and Modernization Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/512

      Reply

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