Few policy makers in Washington would disagree that the United States benefits when we have a safe, secure, reliable energy supply. In fact, because our electric grid and power generation are vital to the United States economy, most support it. However, at this moment, I fear we are missing a critical opportunity when it comes to investing in our nation’s nuclear energy program.
Today, nuclear power plants produce 20 percent of our nation’s electricity. Unlike other energy resources, nuclear power is one of the most reliable providers with the capacity to produce electricity around the clock, resistant to weather conditions and other potential market disruptions. With U.S. electricity demand projected to grow 22 percent and consumption expected to double worldwide by 2040, the U.S. needs to build 20 to 25 new nuclear reactors to simply maintain this current level of support.
However, the U.S. is not the only country looking to secure the benefits of nuclear energy. In fact, there are currently about 60 nuclear power reactors under construction in 13 countries and Taiwan. China, specifically, has announced plans to complete construction of five nuclear power reactors this year with eight more scheduled to start construction. In 2015, Reuters reported that the state owned Russian nuclear export agency Rosatom had the largest number of nuclear reactors being built internationally with 29 nuclear reactors in different planning and constructions stages in more than a dozen countries around the world. By sponsoring construction of these reactors, China and Russia are expanding their influence and leveraging their power in countries such as Turkey, Vietnam, Iran, Hungary, Jordan, Egypt and others.
In an earlier report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies concluded “Without a strong commercial presence in new nuclear markets, America’s ability to influence nonproliferation policies and nuclear safety behaviors worldwide is bound to diminish. In this context, federal action to reverse the U.S. nuclear industry’s impending decline is a national security imperative.”
The U.S. needs to demonstrate leadership when it comes to maintaining a safe, robust, secure and reliable nuclear energy program. We need to maintain our current nuclear power plants, complete the four new plants currently under construction, and level the playing field to encourage further development of nuclear technology. By developing these new technologies for a safer and reliable domestic energy supply, we are also able to sustain and grow hi-tech jobs here in America while exporting our innovation and setting a higher standard for the use of safe, secure and trusted nuclear technology around the world.
By doing so, we can enhance our power grid operations with a more reliable capability; shape global standards for safety and security operations, emergency response and nonproliferation; and prevent other countries from aggressively leveraging excessive influence as an energy supplier to influence fragile countries in strategic regions across the globe.
