The word “nuclear” may invoke different emotions, depending on your generation or understanding of nuclear technology. In this edition of the Energy Gap, we explore nuclear energy’s role in electricity generation — including reliability, cost, safety, and its impact on the environment.
What is Nuclear Energy?
Traditional nuclear power plants work very much like coal or gas plants — heat turns water into steam, which spins a turbine to produce electricity. In the case of nuclear generation, the heat comes from the fission process which takes place in the reactor vessel inside a containment structure. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, traditional reactors can typically produce 1 gigawatt of power, or about the same amount of power generated from 2 million solar panels or 300 utility-scale wind turbines. The key difference? Nuclear power plants are a baseload resource — they operate around the clock to meet electricity demand.
For perspective, Unit 3 of the Commanche Generating Station — a coal-fired power plant near Pueblo — is rated at about 750 megawatts.
Reliability
Nuclear power plants have provided power to millions of American homes for more than 60 years. In fact, nuclear energy provided about half of America’s emissions-free electricity in 2022.
These power plants boast the highest reliability of all generating resources, running 92.6% of the time in 2022. For comparison, coal plants ran almost 48% of the time, natural gas plants more than 56%, wind just over 36%, and solar nearly 25%.
While traditional nuclear plants respond more slowly to changes in energy demand compared to the quick flexibility of coal or gas plants, their steady output makes them a reliable foundation for the energy grid.
Cost and Economic Impact
Cost is perceived as the biggest detractor to nuclear power, as plants are expensive to build. Nuclear generation requires high upfront costs — gigawatt-scale plants require billions of dollars for construction,
permitting, and environmental assessments. However, these plants have a useful life up to 80 years, making their lifetime costs competitive with other reliable baseload resources.
Nuclear fuel is by far the most energy-dense fuel source. One uranium pellet, about 1 inch tall, is energy equivalent to 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 149 gallons of oil, and 1 ton of coal.
Nuclear plants create significant economic benefits. More jobs are required to both build and operate traditional nuclear plants compared to coal or natural gas plants, due to a higher degree of safety and reliability standards.
There are also many secondary jobs related to nuclear power in addition to energy production, including mining, waste removal, disposal, and supervision of spent fuel.
Safety and the Environment
Nuclear energy is a carbon-free clean energy source according to the federal government. Despite misconceptions, nuclear waste management is highly efficient. Did you know that 60 years’ worth of the spent nuclear fuel used in the United States could fit on a single football field stacked 10 yards high? Spent fuel can also be recycled, as is taking place today in France. Advanced reactors designed to run on spent fuel are
currently in development in the U.S. Historical data underscores nuclear power’s safety. The U.S. Navy has operated nuclear reactors on ships for more than 50 years without a single nuclear accident.
Modern nuclear power plants incorporate numerous advanced safety features:
• Passive safety systems use natural forces like gravity and convection to shut down reactors and cool them during emergencies without requiring human intervention.
• Multiple containment layers — including the reactor vessel and shielding — prevent radioactive material from escaping.
• Digital monitoring systems continuously track operations and allow early detection of potential issues
What is on the Horizon?
Nuclear technology extends beyond electricity. In medicine, nuclear imaging helps physicians locate and treat cancer. In the space industry, radioisotope power systems fuel missions. And in law enforcement, nuclear technology is used to obtain and identify trace chemicals during investigations.
With proper training and safety protocols, nuclear power can provide a reliable and affordable energy supply. Advanced nuclear reactor innovation could be a game-changer for the energy industry. Microreactors about the size of a shipping container can power factories and small communities.
The tech industry is investing in small modular reactors that are factory-built for quick installation; these generate enough electricity to power data centers. Advanced reactor designs, such as molten salt reactors, operate at lower pressures, enhancing safety and reducing risks.
The retirement of coal-powered electricity generation combined with the ever-increasing need for electricity is creating an energy gap.
There’s a wealth of information available about the energy gap and resources that could fill the vacuum in the absence of coal. I encourage you to spend time researching and developing your own opinions about the best way to fill the energy gap. Visit siea.com/coloradocountrylife to reference previous articles in this series that discuss natural gas, geothermal, and batteries paired with renewables.
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