Government energy subsidies are standing in the way of a clean US electricity system — and US nuclear. Nuclear power in the United States is struggling, with well-maintained plants closing early and few new projects in the works. At the heart of these struggles lies a failed
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This is a guest post by Gene A. Nelson, Ph.D., Central Coast Government Liaison with Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Inc. (CGNP.) CGNP is a strong advocate for the continued operation of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP). DCPP owner PG&E has requested permission from the California
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Ontario Nuclear Flexibility[1] Nuclear power plants usually operate in base load mode, but might enhance value by flexible operation. In September 2015, I participated in a brainstorming session at the U.S. Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). The main topic of this session (and two earlier sessions) was how
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Nuclear Cash Flow Nuclear power investments require an adequate, certain, and long-term source of revenue. In the past, revenue certainty came from traditional government/regulated electricity models. In liberalized electricity markets, other approaches for revenue certainty are required. My 4 February 2015 WNN editorial was about the uncertain
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Vermont Yankee nuclear power station The Vermont Yankee nuclear power station closed permanently on 29 Dec 2014. The closure of this well-maintained nuclear power plant with decades of remaining life was entirely due to the difficult economics of operating in a U.S. electricity market. The U.S. experience
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Electricity Industry Activity It takes up to 10 years to develop and build a new nuclear power plant that will then operate for 60 years or longer. Electricity markets and financial markets do not easily accommodate these long-term nuclear power plant assets. Nuclear power plant value is
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