to help reinvigorate the anemic U.S. nuclear industry, with the support of President Biden and 88 senators. Not a single Republican voted against it.
The act’s purpose is to liberate the nuclear industry from its decades-long malaise. Though the United States produces more nuclear energy than any other country, it has lately been shedding reactors like crazy. Given such slow progress toward replacing aging infrastructure, the Energy Department has warned that the nuclear industry will keep shrinking. By 2040, the country is. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are rapidly expanding, but they are intended to replace fossil fuels. They can’t also be expected to shore up the nuclear industry. And don’t forget, in the next few decades, demand for electricity will only grow.
Still, none of these provisions can guarantee an American renaissance in nuclear energy. So much depends upon advanced nuclear technology becoming commercially viable. So far, attempts to build such technology in the United States have flopped. Late last year, the most promising project, the NuScale advanced reactor in Idaho, was canceledThe challenge is not to choose solar and wind versus nuclear, but to maximize the advantages of all clean energy sources.