Houston (Platts)--15Feb2008

While there are between 25 to 30 nuclear power projects under discussion
in the US, "we are quite certain that there will be a dozen reactors under
construction in the US by 2015," an analyst with Cambridge Energy Research
Associates said Friday

CERA analyst Chris Hansen said at CERAWeek breakfast meeting in Houston
that he expects the projects to go forward despite cost escalation. Hansen the
overnight cost of nuclear 18 months ago was about $2,000/kW. Now it is
$3,500/kW.

Hansen, who noted that there currently are 435 reactors supplying 16% of
the world's electricity, said new nuclear construction, buoyed by growing
concerns over climate change and CO2 emissions, could support new nuclear
builds of up to 700 GW of installed capacity by 2030. He argued that, along
with other clean energy sources, nuclear can contribute to a one-third
reduction of power generators' CO2 emissions.

Guy Chardon, a senior vice president of nuclear industry supplier Alstom
said at the same meeting that his company has been gearing up for new
construction. In 2005, Alstom had a 20-person team "tendering new equipment."
Today, Alstom has a 455-person team, he said.

Chardon said he believes the nuclear power industry is "restarting
worldwide," and that power generators are taking a "fuel portfolio approach,"
with nuclear making up a share of the portfolio.

--Jeffrey Ryser, jeffrey_ryser@platts.com