Energy Context

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Energy Context

• U.S. and World are experiencing a growing demand
  for energy
• Several potential options for energy supply are
  being considered
• All options impact economy, environment, and
  securitybut in different ways
• All will likely be needed, in some mix, to meet
  energy demand
• National policies, technical feasibility, costs
  and public perception will be important drivers
  for how the mix is determined (not the same in
  all countries)

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Todays Presentation

• Why nuclear energy should be a significant
  contributor
• In last months talk by Dr. Diamond, he noted,
  for nuclear energy
• Energy Security is National Security
• (Uranium is a domestic source of energy)
• Competitive Costs
• No Climate-change Releases
• Proven (Performance and Safety) Record
• Concentrated Form of Energy

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U.S. ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION COSTS 1995-2007, In
2007 cents per kilowatt-hour
/kw-hr
Production Costs Operations and Maintenance
Costs Fuel Costs Source Global Energy
Decisions Updated 5/08
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NPPs AROUND THE WORLD
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PERCENT OF ELECTRICITY FROM NUCLEAR ENERGY
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TOP 10 NUCLEAR GENERATING COUNTRIES2007,
Billion kWh
Source International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S.
is from Energy Information Administration Updated
5/08
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Growing Worldwide Interest in Nuclear Power

• Countries (12) giving serious consideration to
  nuclear power (within 10 years)
• Azerbaijan Belarus Egypt Indonesia Kazakhstan
  Norway Poland Lithuania Estonia Latvia Turkey
  Vietnam
• Countries (20) with longer term plans underway
• Algeria Australia Chile Georgia Ghana Jordan
  Libya Malaysia Morocco Namibia Nigeria Bahrain
  Kuwait Oman Saudi Arabia Qatar
• United Arab Emirates Syria Venezuela Yemen
• Other countries who also participated in 2006
  International Atomic Energy Agency Workshop on
  Nuclear Power
• Cameroon Croatia Kenya Sudan Tanzania Uruguay
• source U.S. Department of State, International
  Security Advisory Board Report, April 2008,
  http//www.nuclear.gov/

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Carbon Dioxide Prevented by Nuclear Energy in the
Electric Sector(in million metric tons)Source
U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2007
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Nuclear and Greenhouse Gases

• Nuclear power plants generate electricity for
  one in five homes and businesses in the United
  States without emitting any greenhouse gases,
  including carbon dioxide.
• Nuclear energy generates more than 70 percent of
  all carbon-free electricity in America
• Nuclear energy is the only option available today
  that can provide base-load electricity production
  24/7 economically and without emitting greenhouse
  gases.
• Even if carbon dioxide emissions are evaluated on
  a total life cycle basis, those from nuclear
  energy are comparable to all other non-emitting
  sources, such as solar, wind and hydropower.
• From Nuclear Energy Institute, www.nei.org

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Nuclear and Greenhouse Gases (2)

• Nuclear energy accounted for 36 percent of the
  voluntary greenhouse gas reductions (138 million
  metric tons of carbon dioxide) reported by the
  electric power sector in 2005, according to the
  U.S. Energy Information Administration.
• The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on
  Climate Change (IPCC) and other international and
  U.S. policy groups recognize that nuclear energy
  should play a significant role in global
  greenhouse gas emission reduction policies.
• The nuclear energy industry supports federal and
  other action that reduces greenhouse gases. A
  credible program to reduce greenhouse gas
  emissions will require a portfolio of
  technologies and approaches. Nuclear
• energy is an indispensable part of that
  portfolio.
• From Nuclear Energy Institute, www.nei.org

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Nuclear EnergysEnvironmental Benefits

• The United States should provide opportunities
  for nuclear power to play a continuing
• role in a future low-carbon electricity sector.
  Because nuclear power is one of the few
• options for no-carbon electricity production,
  efforts should be made to preserve this option.
• Pew Center on Global Climate Change
• Recommendation in Agenda for Climate
• Action
• A more diverse mix of voices are taking a
  positive second look at nuclear energy
• environmentalists, scientists, the media,
  prominent Republicans and Democrats, and
• progressive think tanks. They are all coming to a
  similar conclusion If we are to meet the
• growing electricity needs in this country and
  also address global climate change, nuclear
• energy has a crucial role to play.
• Patrick Moore
• Co-founder, Greenpeace
• Co-chair, Clean and Safe Energy Coalition
• Nuclear energy is the best option to curb carbon
  emissions.
• Dr. R.K. Pachauri

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THE SOURCE FISSION

• Fission is the splitting of a nucleus into two or
  more separate nuclei of comparable mass
• One neutron interacts with one fissionable
  nucleus (Uranium for example)
• Results are
• Fission Products Two heavy nuclides
• One heavier than the other (Average ratio of 2
  3 )
• Neutrons 2.43 on average emitted / fission
• Important that more neutrons are produced than
  are used to cause one fission
• Gamma rays, beta particles
• Energy !!

E mc2
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ONE TRUCK (2 TONNES URANIUM) 25 TRAINLOADS
(260,000 TONNES COAL)
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LAND USEAGE
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Proliferation and Security Concerns

• For nuclear energy systems, we distinguish two
  adversaries
• Host state decides to proliferate using its
  nuclear energy systems
• Non-host entity (e.g. terrorist), threatens host
  with theft and/or sabotage
• For host state, must have adequate international
  safeguards through the International Atomic
  Energy Agency (IAEA) and related organizations
• For non-host entity, national programs must be in
  place to prevent and manage threats

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Potential Host State Threatsand Solutions

• Host state threat types
• Diversion of Materials to Weapons Programs
• Misuse of Energy Facilities
• Breakout from International Treaty Obligations
• Long history of success of IAEA in limiting
  spread of nuclear weapons (Nobel peace prize)
• Historically weapons programs have not arisen
  through nuclear energy programs
• International nuclear fuel supply banks and spent
  fuel take-back programs can help to reduce
  proliferation risk
• Future designs may incorporate intrinsic features
  and advanced safeguards that would further reduce
  risk

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Nuclear Plant Security Zones
Owner Controlled Area
Protected Area Double Fence
Protected Area
Vital Area
Access Control Points
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WASTE DISPOSAL

• A concern to many people
• Used (spent) nuclear fuel consists of ceramic
  pellets encased in metal tubesand still contains
  much useful energy
• Current solution On-site storage at nuclear
  power plant sites

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DRY STORAGE IN CASKS ON SITE
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YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE
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TRANSPORTATION

• Over the last 40 years, 3,000 shipments of spent
  nuclear fuel on 1.7 million miles of U.S. roads
  performed safely
• Each shipment carefully packaged and monitored
• Casks are 15 times thicker than a gasoline tank
  truck shell and include 3 inches of stainless
  steel with thick lead radiation shields
• Typically for every ton of spent fuel there are 3
  tons of protective packaging

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THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER

• 51 US plants have obtained extensions of their
  40-year license to enable operation to 60
  years--41 more are pendingand 34 new units are
  proposed for the next few years
• Nuclear energy is the only option available today
  that can provide base-load electricity production
  economically and without emitting greenhouse
  gases.
• Trends in safety and operation have been
  excellent.
• Nuclear waste disposal remains as an
  institutional challenge technical solutions
  already exist
• Proliferation and terrorism being addressed
  nationally and internationally concerns will
  exists even without nuclear power
• Worldwide interest in increased deployment of
  nuclear power
• We need to continue as a world leader in the
  nuclear arena
• ? Nuclear power will be part of the energy mix
  for the foreseeable future