Cost Drivers of Nuclear Energy

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The high cost of nuclear power is due to regulatory costs, which are driven by the nuclear industry itself.
The cost of nuclear power is negligible when compared to other forms of energy, and it would be much cheaper to build new nuclear plants using current technology.

Recent announcements in the world of nuclear power might make you think that new nuclear technologies are close to deployment in North America. But look closely and you’ll find that progress is actually painfully slow, weighed down by regulatory challenges.

Today’s guest argues that all those rules and regulations need to be overhauled.In this episode, Shayle talks to Bret Kugelmass, CEO and founder of nuclear reactor developer Last Energy. He’s also the host of the podcast Titans of Nuclear. They cover topics like:

Small modular vs micro vs traditional reactors
The state of SMR and nuclear development in North America
Why utilities are disincentivized to build nuclear
Places that are currently seeing a lot of construction, like China and Poland
Building with existing components vs developing new designs
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s certification and licensing process
Overhauling the bureaucracy and the institutional design of the Commission itself

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Recommended Resources:

Catalyst: Will advanced reactors solve nuclear’s problems?
Canary: Small modular nuclear reactors: The race is on to actually build them
Canary: A small modular nuclear reactor just got U.S. approval — a big milestone

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