{"id":336650,"date":"2024-07-16T16:21:38","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T14:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=336650"},"modified":"2024-07-16T16:21:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T14:21:40","slug":"vogtle-5-big-nuclear-looks-to-big-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=336650","title":{"rendered":"Vogtle 5? Big Nuclear Looks to Big Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"407\" data-attachment-id=\"336652\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=336652\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0905d5b6a-1\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?fit=723%2C407&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=723%2C407&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-336652\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/www.masterresource.org\/nuclear-power\/the-era-of-big-nuclear-is-back\/\">Master Resource<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>By Robert Bradley Jr.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAbsolutely I think they should build another [nuclear plant], because I think they\u2019ll get better at it, It\u2019s the cleanest energy you can possibly have out there, and we\u2019re gonna need a tremendous increase in energy production.\u201d [Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.),&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eenews.net\/articles\/plant-vogtle-fuels-capitol-hill-nuclear-buzz\/\">quoted<\/a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<em>Politico<\/em>. June 27, 2024]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nuclear power is a government-created and government-enabled industry. It was born of government largesse and regulatory favor, led by these five policies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Federal research &amp; development by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, founded 1946)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Price-Anderson Act of 1957 limit on accident liability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Five years of \u2018free\u2019 enriched uranium from AEC<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Federal jawboning to parties to construct plants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>State utility commissioners granting rate-base status for new plants<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nuclear\u2019s history of cost overruns, construction delays, and in-progress cancellations speaks for itself. Suffice it to say that the free market would have never allowed this industry to jump from military applications to civilian ones. The \u201cpeaceful atoms\u201d as a palliative for military-side destruction was a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than a half-century later, the debacles of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/blog\/nuclear-powers-newest-cautionary-tale#:~:text=Summer%20project%20was%20eventually%20cancelled,than%20double%20the%20planned%20cost.\">V.C. Summer<\/a>&nbsp;(cancelled in 2017) and Plant Vogtle #3 and #4 (completed) forgotten, the apologists and rent-seekers out in force. The 2,200-megawatt, $35 billion Plant Vogtle project was more than double the original estimate ($14 billion) and seven years late. In terms of opportunity cost, the same capacity from natural gas combined cycle would have cost around $2 billion and been in operation for a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are some quotations from Politico\u2019s article, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eenews.net\/articles\/plant-vogtle-fuels-capitol-hill-nuclear-buzz\/\">Plant Vogtle Fuels Capital Hill Nuclear Buzz<\/a>\u201d (June 27, 2024)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLawmakers from Georgia are still all in on nuclear energy, even after the state weathered one of the most costly and delayed nuclear projects in American history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026 Georgia\u2019s Capitol Hill lawmakers \u2026 are already wondering when Southern Co., the utility that owns Georgia Power, might start plans to build a fifth reactor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2026 Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) \u2026 enthusiasm speaks to the win streak nuclear energy is having on Capitol Hill. Last week, the Senate passed a compromise nuclear energy bill that eases Nuclear Regulatory Commission restrictions on smaller next-generation reactors. \u2026 On top of that, the administration recently announced it was&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/subscriber.politicopro.com\/article\/eenews\/2024\/06\/18\/doe-floats-900m-to-build-advanced-reactors-00163695\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">injecting $900 million<\/a>&nbsp;to boost the small reactor industry. The NRC expects two dozen applications for new and advanced nuclear over the next five years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRepublicans from the Conservative Climate Caucus took a tour of Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, south of Augusta, in May and held a panel discussion on the \u2018importance of nuclear power\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEnergy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and several Biden administration officials also visited the plant earlier this month. Granholm even said that other states should follow Georgia\u2019s example in building nuclear mega-projects like the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/lpo\/vogtle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AP1000 units<\/a>&nbsp;at Vogtle. \u2018Southern Company and Waynesboro, they have led the way here. But it is now time for others to follow their lead,\u2019 Granholm said. \u2018To reach our goal of net zero by 2050, we have to at least triple our current nuclear capacity in this country.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGov. Brian Kemp agreed with Granholm in a visit a few days prior: \u2018Now, let\u2019s start planning for Vogtle Five,\u2019 the Georgia Republican said.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2018There were a lot of incidents that occurred that interrupted and delayed the final coming online, but we got through all of that,\u201d said Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.), a senior appropriator who was one of the original champions of the project in 2008. \u201cI think it\u2019s turned out to be a success, and hopefully it will ring true for years to come\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2019We learned some important lessons, and hopefully we won\u2019t repeat those,\u2019 said Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.). \u2018I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the reason why we shouldn\u2019t at least try and go in that direction.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But, the article continued, there is dissent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The overwhelming bipartisan love for Vogtle is drawing shock from environmental advocates and some lawmakers, especially due to the massive costs the project incurred on Georgia ratepayers. Out of the Georgia lawmakers interviewed by POLITICO\u2019s E&amp;E News, progressive Rep. Hank Johnson, was the only member to express real concerns with nuclear. \u201cRatepayers having to pay the price, and at the same time record profits for the owner of the reactors, something is not right with that,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWe need to invest in new ways of energy production that are clean and renewable and also cost-effective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGeorgia Power is one of the richest utilities in the nation,\u201d Patty Durand, a Democrat running for the Public Service Commission,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/georgiawatch.org\/plant-vogtle-debate-splits-environmental-consumer-advocates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">testified on behalf of the group Concerned Ratepayers of Georgia<\/a>&nbsp;at the time of the agreement. \u201cGeorgia Power should be required to use their huge profits to pay for the cost overruns rather than allowing Georgia Power to pass these billions of dollars onto its captive customers,\u201d Durand added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Edwin Lyman, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said upcoming hikes in electricity rates for Georgia consumers due to the Vogtle project are why no utilities are moving forward with plans to build a new large reactor. \u201cGiven the experience at Vogtle, it\u2019s going to take a lot more than happy talk to convince more utilities to take on that kind of a gamble,\u201d Lyman said. \u201cPutting one\u2019s faith in such unrealistic scenarios is not going to help the U.S. achieve its carbon reduction goals and could well undermine them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More government will be required, the article continues:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the growing bipartisan support for nuclear energy in Georgia and elsewhere, some are arguing that Congress will have to deliver even more money to the industry if new mega-reactors are to be built anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tim Echols, a member of Georgia\u2019s Public Service Commission, suggested that a federal backstop would be necessary for utilities to make plans for new large reactor projects to limit ratepayers\u2019 liability for ballooning costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat makes sense is to build another AP1000 somewhere while the workforce is fresh,\u201d Echols said on social media platform X. \u201cAnd to do it, a federal backstop is essential.\u201d Such a proposal would entail Congress doling out more money, likely in the billions, to provide utilities leeway in covering over-budget costs on new large reactor projects.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nuclear backers are hopeful that Vogtle, despite the drawbacks, will portend a wave of new construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the Hail Mary of nuclear power is very irresistible to some \u201cNet Zero\u201d advocates who do not care about cost (economics). In fact, higher rates might be seen as good, even great, for forced energy conservation. (Ouch!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Angelica Oung, self-described&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/angelicaoung\/\">energy advocate at Clean Energy Transition Alliance<\/a>,\u201d recently&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/angelicaoung_i-cant-believe-it-it-doesnt-feel-real-activity-7202359256606519296-6wor?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop\">posted<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can\u2019t believe it! It doesn\u2019t feel real!&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mark-w-nelson-484b0713\/\">Mark W. Nelson<\/a>&nbsp;is posting from Vogtle, Georgia that the US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm just called for \u201chundreds\u201d of large nuclear reactors to be built: \u201cWe need two hundred of these by 2050. Two down, one hundred and ninety-eight to go.\u201d<br><br>I believe it was 2022 when I first made myself an absolute pest on US DOE folk\u2019s mentions and inboxes. But why? But why? But why aren\u2019t we building more AP1000\u2019s? Why is it all \u201cSMR and advanced\u201d when we\u2019ve got a proven design and large reactors are the most cost-effective way to build nuclear? But Vogtle wasn\u2019t done yet and we weren\u2019t ready for that conversation\u2026.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 150 comments followed, some critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202425505503997952%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202425505503997952%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">Thomas Eiden<\/a>: \u201cI\u2019ve been in this industry long enough and have lived through enough \u201cnuclear renaissances\u201d to have learned to believe it when I see it. If you believe anything a politician or government agency spokesperson says, you *will* be disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202453673023549440%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202453673023549440%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">David Gaier<\/a>: \u201cVogtle\u2019s obscene cost overruns (screwing ratepayers of course) and years behind schedule to make COD was inexcusable. SMRs have fallen flat on their faces and AP1000s may indeed be the best way to go. But such incompetence and most likely, corruption that we saw in Georgia was Monty Python-esque absurdity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202397679597826048%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202397679597826048%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">Eric Lemmons<\/a>: \u201c[Secretary Graham] is not exactly all that sharp. She has bought into the EV nonsense from day one! She literally had staffers blocking an EV charging station so she could virtue signal.<br><br>It\u2019s been the exorbitant costs associated with building the large plants that have caused a lot of issues., look at VC Summer. They were in the process of building 2 AP1000\u2019s and stopped dead due to gross construction mismanagement. Vogtle was 7 years late and $17 Billion over budget! That literally sounds like it was built for the government! That is not a sustainable model!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7203442992525774848%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287203442992525774848%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">Johann Lindner<\/a>: \u201cThe simple universal Law of Scale for Nuclear Powerplants of all sizes including factory produced Submarine reactors (=SMRs) \u2013 for total overnight Construction Cost \u2013 has been the same since 1960\u2019s and worldwide for aml types and designs: (MW large NPP \/ MW small NPP)**0.6 is the ratio how much more an SMR costs (Overnight Construction Cost). That is why civil NPPs increased from SMR size (1960\u2019s) to large 1300 MW size just 10 years later. Means there are still plenty of special markets, countries, different industries, isolated grids, district heating, etc \u2013 were SMRs are ideal.<br><br>Making basic large scale national electricity will still be best done by large NPPs. Finally \u2013 an important safety observation:<br>\u2013 a few large NPP sites can be safely protected (incl by military)<br>\u2013 1000\u2019s of SMRs especially in 3rd world countries will be a nightmare for protection and a paradies for terrorists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202727331822489600%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202727331822489600%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">John Hockert<\/a>: \u201cWe are not going to build 200 large nuclear plants by 2050. The technical infrastructure is not in place. We do not have enough nuclear plant constructors familiar with NQA-1 to build at that rate. We do not enough NRC construction inspectors to oversee that level of construction. We have many politicians who seem to believe that calling for the impossible and throwing money at it will succeed. We do need nuclear plants but sensible planning is required instead of calls for pie in the sky schedules that are doomed to failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202396513958846464%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202396513958846464%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">Adam Link<\/a>: \u201cI think Big Nuke is worse than Big Oil.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To her critics, Oung&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7202359256606519296?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202368987240804353%29&amp;replyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7202359256606519296%2C7202371820832911360%29&amp;dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202368987240804353%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29&amp;dashReplyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287202371820832911360%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7202359256606519296%29\">replied<\/a>: \u201cBig or small, we will build them all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nuclear power is a government-created and government-enabled industry. It was born of government largesse and regulatory favor, led by these five policies:<\/p>\n<p>Federal research &#038; development by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC, founded 1946)<br \/>\nThe Price-Anderson Act of 1957 limit on accident liability<br \/>\nFive years of \u2018free\u2019 enriched uranium from AEC<br \/>\nFederal jawboning to parties to construct plants<br \/>\nState utility commissioners granting rate-base status for new plants<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":336652,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819627,691827819,691818206,691829710],"class_list":{"0":"post-336650","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-clean-energy","9":"tag-nuclear-plant","10":"tag-nuclear-power","11":"tag-plant-vogtle","13":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0905d5b6a-1.webp?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1pzQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":244500,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=244500","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":0},"title":"Still More Vogtle Nuclear Delays (how will it end?)","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"20\/02\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cThe failure of the uncompleted V.C. Summer Units #2 and #3 ($10 billion), and the continuing woes at Vogtle, have marked the complete failure of Congress to create a \u2018nuclear renaissance\u2019 through the\u00a02005 Energy Policy Act. The act provided for up to $8 billion each in \u2018loan guarantees\u2019 for new\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-493.png?fit=1200%2C718&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-493.png?fit=1200%2C718&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-493.png?fit=1200%2C718&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-493.png?fit=1200%2C718&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-493.png?fit=1200%2C718&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":245401,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=245401","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":1},"title":"USA Leads Charge On Small Modular Reactors With NuScale Design Ready For Construction","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"24\/02\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced\u00a0the first-ever certification Friday of a small modular reactor design, a big step in the process of developing a new generation of new and more flexible nuclear reactors.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-752.png?fit=1032%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-752.png?fit=1032%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-752.png?fit=1032%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image-752.png?fit=1032%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":325893,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=325893","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":2},"title":"Plant Vogtle Unit 4 begins commercial operation","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/05\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Georgia Power\u00a0announced\u00a0this week that the 1,114-megawatt (MW) Unit 4 nuclear power reactor at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, Georgia, entered into commercial operation after connecting to the power grid in\u00a0March 2024. The commercial start of Unit 4 completes the 11-year expansion project at Plant Vogtle. No nuclear reactors are under construction\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Georgia Power\"","block_context":{"text":"Georgia Power","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=georgia-power"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/073497975007-dji-0934-w-t-ext.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/073497975007-dji-0934-w-t-ext.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/073497975007-dji-0934-w-t-ext.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/073497975007-dji-0934-w-t-ext.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/073497975007-dji-0934-w-t-ext.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":417424,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=417424","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":3},"title":"Time to build reactors fueled by nuclear waste","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"16\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"According to noted stock trader Ross Givens, many investors are pouring money into nuclear energy stocks that may never deliver. Innovative generation IV and V reactor designs remain unapproved by a slow-moving federal government. Yet investors remain hopeful that this bottleneck will soon be removed.","rel":"","context":"In \"generation IV and V \u201cfast\u201d reactors\"","block_context":{"text":"generation IV and V \u201cfast\u201d reactors","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=generation-iv-and-v-fast-reactors"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMA4B0BlTW_Ov2eWRuK7H2vR6d7oJ4XKvQ8wfR1kED90Z9ztBse1yiIQY2WHOjAlSIYsq2rNllWQKJLykQ__-0p_sz0xS2NBgPOgo40lqlsvVMqklAclk7bbxSFw1Mp-1.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMA4B0BlTW_Ov2eWRuK7H2vR6d7oJ4XKvQ8wfR1kED90Z9ztBse1yiIQY2WHOjAlSIYsq2rNllWQKJLykQ__-0p_sz0xS2NBgPOgo40lqlsvVMqklAclk7bbxSFw1Mp-1.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMA4B0BlTW_Ov2eWRuK7H2vR6d7oJ4XKvQ8wfR1kED90Z9ztBse1yiIQY2WHOjAlSIYsq2rNllWQKJLykQ__-0p_sz0xS2NBgPOgo40lqlsvVMqklAclk7bbxSFw1Mp-1.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMA4B0BlTW_Ov2eWRuK7H2vR6d7oJ4XKvQ8wfR1kED90Z9ztBse1yiIQY2WHOjAlSIYsq2rNllWQKJLykQ__-0p_sz0xS2NBgPOgo40lqlsvVMqklAclk7bbxSFw1Mp-1.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMA4B0BlTW_Ov2eWRuK7H2vR6d7oJ4XKvQ8wfR1kED90Z9ztBse1yiIQY2WHOjAlSIYsq2rNllWQKJLykQ__-0p_sz0xS2NBgPOgo40lqlsvVMqklAclk7bbxSFw1Mp-1.jpeg?fit=1198%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":295143,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=295143","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":4},"title":"Nuclear revival needs a new regulatory framework","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"15\/01\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Bad as the regulatory time frame is for large nuclear facilities, it is even worse (though technically the same) for companies desiring to bring new-design small modular reactors (SMRs) and micro SMRs to market.","rel":"","context":"In \"France\"","block_context":{"text":"France","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=france"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0small-modular-reactors-foto-IAEA-1.png?fit=1140%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0small-modular-reactors-foto-IAEA-1.png?fit=1140%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0small-modular-reactors-foto-IAEA-1.png?fit=1140%2C640&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0small-modular-reactors-foto-IAEA-1.png?fit=1140%2C640&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/0small-modular-reactors-foto-IAEA-1.png?fit=1140%2C640&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":414357,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=414357","url_meta":{"origin":336650,"position":5},"title":"A Nuclear Resurgence, But Major Obstacles Remain","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"23\/11\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A nuclear energy resurgence is underway, driven by the artificial intelligence revolution and the Trump administration. Nuclear plants that were shut down are being restarted. Dozens of small reactors are being deployed. But nuclear power still faces major cost, startup time, and regulatory obstacles.","rel":"","context":"In \"Artificial Intelligence (AI)\"","block_context":{"text":"Artificial Intelligence (AI)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=artificial-intelligence-ai"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0doKPOnQY.jpg?fit=1200%2C706&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0doKPOnQY.jpg?fit=1200%2C706&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0doKPOnQY.jpg?fit=1200%2C706&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0doKPOnQY.jpg?fit=1200%2C706&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/0doKPOnQY.jpg?fit=1200%2C706&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=336650"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336650\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":336653,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336650\/revisions\/336653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/336652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=336650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=336650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=336650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}