Interchange Recharged

Can we rely on nuclear as a source of clean, reliable power?

Apr 9, 2024

Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director at the Breakthrough Institute, discusses the feasibility of achieving a net-zero emission grid by 2050 with significant nuclear energy. They explore the challenges hindering nuclear adoption, including regulatory hurdles and financial barriers. The conversation also touches on the Build Nuclear Now campaign, aiming to rally public support for nuclear energy.

34:10

Episode guests

Ted Nordhaus

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Quick takeaways

Private sector investment crucial for nuclear energy growth.

Regulatory reform and public sector commitment essential to overcome barriers.

Deep dives

SMRs Address Concerns About Waste Management and Safety

Small modular reactors (SMRs) have emerged as a potential solution to address concerns regarding waste management and safety in nuclear power. These reactors offer the promise of providing firm base load power without greenhouse gas emissions. However, despite their advantages, regulatory and financial barriers hinder their mass adoption, presenting challenges to their widespread implementation.

Introduction

2min

Navigating Regulatory Challenges in Nuclear Power

14min

Investment Challenges and Regulatory Hurdles in Nuclear Energy Transition

6min

Challenges and Opportunities in Nuclear Technology Implementation

8min

Advocating for Nuclear Energy: The Build Nuclear Now Campaign

4min

SMRs: a new horizon in Nuclear Power.

This week on The Interchange: Recharged, we are joined by Ted Nordhaus, Executive Director at the Breakthrough Institute, an environmental research centre in Berkley, California. They focus on finding technological solutions to environmental problems.

Achieving a net-zero emission grid by 2050, they claim, with a significant nuclear component would not only be feasible but also cost-effective compared to over-reliance on variable renewable energy sources. This approach requires substantial investment, estimated between US$150 to US$220 billion by 2035, escalating to over a trillion dollars by 2050. Together they discuss the likelihood that the private sector will drive this investment, provided that nuclear technologies are economically viable and regulatory uncertainties are addressed. They look at the Build Nuclear Now campaign, which aims to rally public support for nuclear energy and drive towards grassroots pro-nuclear advocacy. Is this a sign that public sentiment is changing?

The main challenges hindering the adoption of nuclear energy include regulatory hurdles, financial barriers and ongoing concerns surrounding nuclear safety. Ted explains that regulatory reform and public sector commitment could overcome these obstacles. The Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernisation Act are examples of a policy aimed at modernising the regulatory environment, to facilitate the licensing of advanced nuclear reactors.

So, are SMRs the solution to everything nuclear? They’re designed to produce between 50 to 300 MW of electricity per module, which is about one-third of the generation capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. NuScale's design (listen back to our episode from April last year for more on this) for instance, is for a 77 MW module, with plans to deploy modules in groups that can generate up to 924 MW. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been actively supporting SMR development, investing over US$600 million in the past decade to assist in the design, licensing and siting of new SMR technologies in the U.S. The technology seems to be there, as does the baseline investment.

What’s next for the nuclear industry? Listen to find out.

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