The carbon-free, electricity-producing nuclear energy industry might play a key role in solving America’s energy and economic woes. This energy source is clean and provides jobs.
“In addition to producing carbon-free electricity, expansion of nuclear energy generation will serve other national imperatives,”Carol Berrigan was the senior director of industry infrastructure at the Nuclear Energy Institute and she testified before Congress. “Construction of new nuclear power plants will create tens of thousands of jobs in product development, construction, operations and manufacturing. A robust nuclear construction program will also significantly expand the U.S. manufacturing sector and the domestic nuclear supply chain.”
Only 104 US nuclear power plants are in operation, but they still provide 20% of America’s energy. And nuclear energy is 72 percent of America’s clean, green, and pollutant-free electricity supply.
The new Senate legislation by Senators John Kerry & Barbara Boxer calls for an 83 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2050. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, America will require 187 new nuclear power stations in order to meet this goal.
Nuclear power plants are not only capable of supplying energy but also create many jobs. Every working nuclear power station employs 400-700 people. Plants also depend on vendors, specialists contractors, and contract skilled labor.
According to the National Commission on Energy Policy each new power station will require 14,360 man years per gigawatt. Pipefitters, masons and carpenters will be needed to build new power plants. As supply chains expand, new nuclear plants will need parts. This will create jobs in the manufacturing industry.
Building power plants is expensive. Nuclear energy will not live up to its potential for economic and environmental sustainability without Congress’ support.
As Berrigan said, “A program to expand reliance on nuclear energy to meet U.S. climate change goals … will require a sustained partnership between federal and state governments, and the private sector, including additional policy support from the federal government.”
Visit www.amazon.com for more information www.nei.org.
