Nuclear power will play an essential role in the energy future of the United States and the world. There is an increasing recognition by scientists, entrepreneurs, and policy makers that it offers unique characteristics that can provide an abundant, safe, and clean energy source indefinitely. Despite a decline in the existing nuclear power industry, a renaissance is underway in new safe nuclear reactor designs and technologies to fuel the next century, while rapid advances in fusion power research portend a revolution to begin within the next two or three decades in the nuclear industry. Now is a pivotal time for leadership, a national focus, the allocation of resources, and a revamping of federal and state regulatory models to accelerate development that will transform the energy portfolio of the U.S. and the world.
Many people in the United States reject nuclear power based on fear. It is time to face that fear and reconsider nuclear power as a primary contributor to the nation’s energy portfolio. Now is the time to reassess because there is both vulnerability and opportunity looming. The vulnerability - existing nuclear power infrastructure is old and presently unprofitable – causing decline in a major component of our nation’s energy portfolio. The opportunity - there is a tremendous amount of innovation taking place around modern, safe, and small fission nuclear power design that is very promising. In addition, progress in fusion research is real and substantial, and accelerating.
