How Building Nuclear Power Plants Would Set
America Back in the Race Against Global Warming
2009-11-17
Executive Summary
Some key findings of the report include:
• To avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming, America
must cut power plant emissions roughly in half over the next 10 years.
No new reactors are now under construction in the United States, and
building a single reactor could take a decade or longer. As a result, it
is quite possible that nuclear power could deliver no progress in the
critical next decade, despite spending billions on reactor construction.
• Even if the nuclear industry somehow managed to build 100 new
nuclear reactors by 2030, nuclear power could reduce total U.S.
emissions of global warming pollution over the next 20 years by only 12
percent. As a result, America would burn through its 40-year electric
sector carbon budget - the limit on carbon emissions determined by
scientists to be necessary to stave off the worst impacts of climate
change - in just 15 years.
• In contrast, energy efficiency and renewable energy can immediately
reduce global warming pollution. Energy efficiency programs are already
cutting electricity consumption by 1-2 percent annually in leading
states, and the U.S. wind industry is already building the equivalent of
three nuclear reactors per year in wind farms. America has vast
potential to do more.
• Building 100 new reactors would require an up-front investment on
the order of $600 billion dollars – money which could cut at least twice
as much carbon pollution by 2030 if invested in clean energy. Taking
into account the ongoing costs of running the nuclear plants, clean
energy could deliver as much as 5 times more pollution-cutting progress
per dollar overall.
• Nuclear power is not necessary to provide clean, carbon-free
electricity for the long haul. The need for base-load power is
exaggerated and small-scale clean energy solutions can actually enhance
the reliability of the electric grid.
Environment America
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Federal Advocacy Office: 218 D Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
E-mail:
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