Clean Energy Insight - Moving Energy Forward

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The North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) teamed up with Clean Energy Insight for the 2011 NA-YGN Drawing Contest.  In light of the events at Fukushima Nuclear Plant, the contest focused on nuclear power on an international scale with the theme,  “Roddy Nuclear Powers the World.”  Roddy is a nuclear fuel pellet, and an NA-YGN mascot, and he is predominantly featured in this year’s drawing contest posters.

NA-YGN would like to thank all chapters for their participation. Your support of this program ensures that the new “young generation” has clear information on nuclear power, and can make informed decisions about our energy future.

This year, voting took place on the CEI website in order to expand our voting audience and to draw attention to this site. Over 250 visitors to the site voted, and for that, we thank you!

We are proud to announce the contest winners:

First Place: Giovanni Valforte, Myrtle Avenue Elementary

First Runner-Up: Olivia Whitacre, St. Teresa of Avila

Second Runner-Up: Matthew McHugh, St. Teresa of Avila

Winners will receive an NA-YGN t-shirt, science kit, and books for themselves and their schools.

We encourage all NA-YGN Chapters to participate in the 2012 Drawing Contest, which will be 100% digital for the first time. If you have any feedback or questions about the Drawing Contest, or would like to assist in 2012, please contact Andrea Davis of the NA-YGN Triangle Chapter at .

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How often do you think about where the electricity you use to power your lights, computer and television comes from? Chances are not often, if ever.

This past October, the Michigan American Nuclear Society hosted an essay contest as part of Careers in Energy Week asking high school students to do just that. The “Get into Nuclear Energy” essay contest targeted raising awareness of nuclear energy careers among Michigan high school students. The contest asked students to explain why nuclear energy workers have and continue to improve our local communities. The contest, which was funded by an Entergy Nuclear grant, awarded the first, second, and third place winners with an iPad, iTouch, and iPod Nano, respectively. The contest also awarded the schools with the highest percentage of participation with a monetary donation to their science department.

The contest ran over a two-week period and resulted in the society receiving over 400 essays. The contest winners were spread across the state and even into the Upper Peninsula! The winning essays will be posted on our website. The first, second, and third place student winners are as follows:

1. Megan Locatis, Allegan High School;
2. Carolyn Payson, Battle Creek Math and Science Cetner;
3. Jessica Barjaktarovich, Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Here is a link to their essays.

The schools with the highest participation were:

• Big Bay De Noc High School,
• Columbia Central High School, and
• Charyl Stockwell Preparatory Academy.

Having read over 100 essays myself, I can say that I was immensely excited to see the amount of research and effort that the students and teachers put into exploring careers options in the nuclear field. The essays highlighted the important impact nuclear energy workers have on ensuring that our communities stay functional through both the production of electricity and philanthropic work. The overall goal of the contest was to expose high school students to careers in the nuclear sciences and hopefully spark an early interest in future career choices.

The Michigan American Nuclear Society is looking forward to hosting another essay contest to ring in National Nuclear Science Week. This time around the contest wil ask high school students to write a persuasive letter to their local Congressperson or Senator describing why nuclear energy should continue be a part of our national energy portfolio.

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North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) recently held their 13th Annual “Roddy Nuclear” Drawing contest all over North America.  Roddy Nuclear is a nuclear fuel pellet cartoon character who can fit into the palm of a child’s hand.  In fact, Roddy provides as much energy as almost two-thousand pounds of coal and 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas!

NA-YGN members used Roddy’s adventures to present the benefits of nuclear energy to over 1,000 4th and 5th grade students in this year’s contest.  The theme for the contest was “Roddy Nuclear Powers the World.“  Students were asked to submit drawings inspired by the theme and what they learned during the presentations.

NA-YGN would like to thank all of it’s participating members along with all of the educators who contributed to the success of this year’s contest.  Now, we just have to pick a winner!

Click here to vote for the winner:

2011 NA-YGN Drawing Contest Voting

The voting deadline is January 13th, 2012.

The winners (1st place, Runner-up, First Runner up) will be announced during National Nuclear Science Week — January 23rd, 2012.

Click HERE to view last year’s 2010 Drawing Contest Winners.

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On November 1, 2011, several North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) members attended the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) public meeting for the potential restart of Dominion Power’s North Anna Power Station (NAPS). The purpose of the meeting was for the NRC and Dominion to provide members of the public with the status of inspections and current information for NAPS after the August 23rd earthquake in Mineral, VA.

Dominion Energy's North Anna Nuclear Power Station

The first half of the meeting allowed Dominion and the NRC to discuss their findings. To date, neither Dominion nor the NRC has identified any significant damage to essential safety systems of NAPS. Inspections and reviews continue to ensure the safety of the plants prior to restart. No date has yet been targeted for restart of the plants.

The second half of the meeting involved public commentary and questions for the NRC and Dominion. Public responses and questions varied, but several audience members indicated mistrust of Dominion and the NRC to ensure the safety of the power plant. The telling moment of NA-YGN’s presence occurred when one member of the audience questioned whether Dominion had paid individuals to come-out wearing t-shirts and buttons that advocated for nuclear power. There was a loud response of “NO” from the crowd and a cynical rebuttal from the questioning individual: “I guess you all must just be fans of nuclear power.”

As hard as it may be for some to understand, there are people that are proud to show support for nuclear power.

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On Thursday, November 3^rd, approximately 90 American Nuclear Society members ended their annual winter meeting with a Capitol Hill visit. Constituents from over 20 states visited with their elected officials and their staffers to promote nuclear energy.

Pictured from L to R: Jennifer Varnedoe (Progress Energy), Eric Helin (GE Hitachi), Myron Koblansky (Westinghouse), Adam Nygaard (Duke Energy)

Hill Visit team and topic:

The North Carolina team represented a variety of nuclear companies that reach across the state. The team’s previous experience at communicating with policy makers ranged from first timers to experienced veterans. While the primary purpose of the hill visit was to support nuclear in general; our team decided to raise attention to the recent letter from the Nuclear Engineering Department Heads Organization to Senators Feinstein and Alexander.

The letter, signed by all Nuclear Engineering Department Heads, encourages congress to restore funding for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) nuclear research and development programs as well as the Integrated University Program (IUP) as Fiscal Year 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations are being finalized. The team discussed the upcoming labor shortage in the nuclear industry and the need for stable, successful nuclear engineering programs.

The Hill Visit:

The first appointment of the day was with Kara Weishaar, the Energy Legislative Assistant (LA) for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC). Kara was very friendly with the ANS group and re-assured Senator Burr’s support of nuclear energy as a clean and reliable source of electricity.

House of Representative Member Melvin Watt (D-12^th/NC) supports a comprehensive energy policy that includes nuclear according to his Energy Legislative Assistant, Eric Love, from Charlotte.

The team also visited Senator Kay Hagan’s (D-NC) office and spoke with Energy LA Aaron Suntag. Aaron was very engaged in the conversation and expressed that Sen. Hagan was a strong supporter of nuclear. It was encouraging to learn that Aaron occasionally works with Kara from Senator Burr’s office (Democrats and Republicans can get along!)

Finally, the day ended with an appointment with Jack Huerter, Energy Legislative Assistant for Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-7^th/NC). Jack informed the ANS members that Rep. McIntyre is a strong supporter of nuclear. The congressman is concerned about domestic energy supply and realizes that nuclear must be part of the mix. As the discussion with Mr. Huerter came to a close, Congressman McIntyre unexpectedly popped in his office and agreed to a quick photo op.

The elected officials of North Carolina overwhelming support nuclear energy. This is not the case in every state. Your voice matters. Write a letter or give a phone call to your elected representative today and show your support for a nuclear future.

Pictured from L to R: C.J. Milmoe (Milmoe Consulting Services LLC), Eric Helin (GE Hitachi), Margaret Harding (4 Factor Consulting), Congressman Mike McIntyre Adam Nygaard (Duke Energy), Jennifer Varnedoe (Progress Energy)

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The U.S. Department of Energy has recently proposed a change to 10 CFR 810, a regulation that governs the export of peaceful nuclear technology, including for the production of electricity, to the multi-billion dollar global market. This proposed change could:

• Adversely impact competitiveness of U.S. nuclear suppliers
• Disrupt existing commercial arrangements between U.S. manufacturers and their overseas customers
• Create additional administrative burdens

Specifically, the proposed rule would:

• Require an additional bureaucratic authorization (which can take a year or longer to receive) for trade with 73 countries that do not require this export authorization today.
• Significantly expand the numbers of activities which require this type of authorization for export.
• Further bog down an already slow process by increasing the number of authorizations required for export.
• Significantly slow down the number of jobs created and brought in to U.S. manufacturers because of these delays and new bureaucratic requirements.

Please take action and visit the following link to submit a comment to Dept of Energy Secretary Stephen Chu on your thoughts of the measure:

http://consumerenergyalliance.org/calls-to-action/take-action-support-affordable-nuclear-energy/

The comment period closes on December 7th, 2011.

Let’s all support affordable nuclear energy for the future, as well as jobs in the nuclear industry that fuel economic development all over the world.

Remember, as members of NA-YGN, we can all do our part to Move Energy Forward.

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The World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) announced their annual Nuclear Excellence Awards today at the conclusion of their eleventh Biennial General Meeting held in Shenzhen, China.

Susan Reilly Landahl, Chief Operation Officer of Exelon Nuclear and member of NA-YGN’s Executive Advisory Committee was one of the eight recipients this year. The Nuclear Excellence awards identify individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to excellence in the operation of nuclear power plants or infrastructure that supports their operation.

NA-YGN would like to congratulate Susan on her well-deserved award. “She has long been a strong proponent of promoting diversity within the nuclear industry,” NA-YGN Professional Development Chair Erin West said. “NA-YGN is grateful for her generous support and is glad to see her recognized by her peers for her efforts.”

Susan was recognized for her relentless pursuit of excellence, wide variety of key positions in Exelon’s fleet and her significant contribution as a mentor and role model to others in the industry, including through organizations such as U.S. Women in Nuclear and North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN).

The NA-YGN Executive Advisory Council provides guidance to the NA-YGN Board of Directors. WANO established the Nuclear Excellence Awards in 2003.

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Nuclear Misinformation

In the wake of the earthquake in Japan and the resulting accident at the Fukushima power plant, misinformation and fear-mongering about nuclear energy, which has always been present, has really been soaring. Reports of radiation plumes hitting the Pacific coast of the United States or milk with high radiations levels invaded the news and soon people everywhere were discussing the best sources of iodine pills to combat radiation sickness. It may be understandable, given a generation who grew up in the shadow of the Cold War, with the constant thought of helplessly hiding under a desk when the bomb sirens went off.

How can we prevent future generations from living with this kind of fear? Better nuclear education from elementary schools to online college classes is the necessary place to start. Nuclear energy has been widely misunderstood practically since it first came into being. With public schools educating students on the actual workings of a power plant and providing a better understanding of the science behind nuclear energy and radiation, we could be raising informed kids who are less likely to panic and better able to intelligently assess the merits of nuclear power.

Part of the challenge of educating students lies in educating the educators. After all, most teachers today are either from the Cold War generation themselves or are children of that generation, raised with a fear of nuclear energy and radiation poisoning. Like anyone else, teachers aren’t immune to misinformation and misunderstanding. However, they are in the unique position of having strong influence on what information gets passed down to the next generation.

One program designed to educate the educators is currently taking place outside of Chicago, at the Braidfield Nuclear Generation Station. NA-YGN’s Nuke 101 is intended to teach middle and high school instructors about nuclear power, including learning how power plants work, how nuclear power is generated, and the benefits of nuclear energy as a clean and renewable source of electricity. This kind of teacher education is needed nationwide, and even internationally.

To make nuclear education more personal, teachers near power plants can contact them to make arrangements for the students to get a tour, then build an entire unit on nuclear power around the visit. Some topics that would be appropriate to include are:

What is Radiation?

Students can look at measurements of radiation, such as microsieverts and millirems, and compare them to common everyday sources of radiation such as x-rays, CT scans, and even normal background radiation. This can then be compared to dangerous doses of radiation, allowing students to critically analyze information provided by news programs and other media.

How is Radiation Used?

By exploring uses of radiation in science, medicine, and other industries, and discussing what happens when radiation reaches dangerous levels, students can learn to perform risk-benefit analyses and apply them to all areas of their lives. For instance, many students are probably familiar with the concept of radiation therapy as a medical treatment and may even know someone who went through the process. A better understanding of how radiation therapy works can help students understand the positive effects that radiation can have on our lives.

How does a Nuclear Reactor Work?

If taking a tour of a power plant isn’t a possibility, students can take a virtual power plant tour and then discuss the process of the production of energy in different types of reactors. Additionally, they can discuss safety regulations and how they’re enforced.

What Happens to Radioactive Waste?

Most people are aware that radioactive waste is produced by a power plant, but have no idea what happens to it next. Students can consider the actual laws and regulations dealing with the delivery of radioactive materials, their handling and storage, and learn about the regulations in place and the agencies involved.

Hands-on activities to cement concepts and give students a real feel for nuclear science and technology could include learning to handle and read a Geiger counter and calculating their own personal yearly dose of radiation. Students will probably be surprised to find out how much radiation they’re actually exposed to every year, and that perspective will help put highly publicized radiation leaks into perspective.

Additionally, teachers can have students look for radiation in the news. After listening carefully to a story, they should research the incident and find out about the actual amount of radiation released into the atmosphere. They might be surprised at how much many reports are blown out of proportion in the interest of titillating viewers and getting ratings.

The key to fighting back against sensationalism is education. If nothing else, once students understand the concept of actually measuring radiation and can relate those measurements to everyday sources of radiation, they’ll no longer live in fear of nuclear energy and the promise it holds. Being able to think critically about nuclear power will staunch unfounded panic and the spread of nuclear misinformation.

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This letter is in response to: http://berkeley-nj.patch.com/articles/petitioners-to-nrc-shut-down-all-fukushima-like-nuclear-plants

I am a Chemical Engineer that works at a Mark I plant.  I choose to live within ten miles of the plant knowing that the operations of the facility are safe and reliable.  I love the community at which I live and I am very confident telling my neighbors and family that I am keeping them safe and providing them with reliable power everyday.

I can tell you that the information in this article is incorrect.  The nuclear utilities in the US are working very closely with Japan to learn from their event and help them recover.  We have world class nuclear professionals from the US in Japan right now working along side them.  Due to some of the retrofits from September 11th we have some modifications in our plants that would mitigate a similar event along with more robust response plans for loss of power.

There are a lot of incorrect facts in this article but the one I want to address particularly is that this article incorrectly states that radioactive fuel fragments were found scattered around the Fukushima site.  While there was core damage, the fuel remained in containment.  This article suggests a lot of things that are not true such as operating outside of our license from the NRC which is our “contract”.  If we do not follow our license, we break the law and there are serious consequences for the company and even the individual plant worker.  This is definitely not something we take lightly.  It also suggests that we “experiment” with our plant with installing vent systems.  I have no idea where this came from but nuclear power is special and unique and we do not experiment with our plants.  Every design change or change in operations is carefully reviewed by multiple scientists and engineers internally and externally to ensure that the change is safe.  On top of that we have to prove to the NRC and other government agencies that we are operating safely on a daily basis.

I am asking that if you are reading this article and you are interested in this issue that you reach out and find the facts.  Please reminder that most facts do not include absolutes (always, never, etc.).

Please listen to all sides of the arguments and make your own judgment.

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In the heart of our nation’s capital, young professionals from throughout North America gathered for the 2011 NA-YGN Annual Workshop. This was an amazing opportunity to redefine the understanding of nuclear power, as well as a chance to uncover a world of opportunities in the realistic future of green power generation.

To describe the workshop without mentioning Fukushima Daiichi would be impossible. The workshop, presented by NEI and NA-YGN, took place during a critical time in the search for high yield, environmentally friendly sources of energy.   Our nation’s leaders were being tested on their support in moving forward with the new construction of Nuclear Power Plants. The events in Japan caused many American citizens, politicians, and regulatory committees to question the support of the, recent revitalization of the nuclear industry. This controversy presented both a challenge to the workshop, along with a challenge to renew the confidence of our society in the safety and operation of future nuclear power plants in the United States.          

The workshop brought together speakers from all parts of the nuclear industry. Topics of discussion included “the state of the industry” and “the future endeavors young engineers can prepare for.” Among the speakers was The Honorable William Magwood, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner, who spoke on the subject of nuclear regulation beyond the nuclear power plant. Global Nuclear Economy was another interesting  discussion presented by Armand Laferrere, Senior Vice President of Major Project Offers for AREVA, and Richard Myers, Vice President of Policy Development for NEI.

The workshop also presented an excellent opportunity for a question and answer session with; Jacques Besnainou the Chief Executive Officer and President of AREVA, Chris Tye the Senior Vice President of Nuclear Fluor Enterprises, and Bruce Landrey the Chief Marketing Officer of NuScale Power Inc. Topics of discussion focused on the nuclear industry throughout the world whereby each panel member emphasized the need to work in a country outside the United States within the course of our careers.  Each representative gave an insightful perspective of how to reach our goals: a strong dedication to learning; the will-power to overcome great obstacles; and a strong character in leadership. 

NA-YGN AREVA Charlotte Members (L-R) Mike Bloom, Becky Rollins, and J Carrington Dillon accept awards at the Conference. Becky accepted the Best Chapter Award for the Carolina's Region, and Mike and Carrington accepted the Future Award for their work in creating Clean Energy Insight.

After enjoying the sessions with numerous leaders of the industry, various NA-YGN groups networked with other chapters. A couple chapters also enjoyed valuable one-on-one time with their senior management. I had the great privilege to attend a meeting with Progress Energy’s NA-YGN in a “round table” with their senior management. During the round table Q & A discussion, young professionals were able to bring up various subjects of concern with their peers and senior management. The environment also encouraged ideas for improvement within the company. This was the first time I witnessed an “even-level playing field” between management and young employees. The meeting created a venue where young professionals’ voices were not only acknowledged but their ideas were brought straight to the top of the company. From someone who knows the importance of having a voice that is heard, I applaud this effort. I hope to see more companies apply this valuable tool to their young work force. 

Networking with industry leaders continued throughout the week. The NA-YGN Annual Workshop coincided with the Annual Nuclear Industry Conference and Nuclear Supplier Expo: Nuclear Energy Assembly (NEA). Many of the strongest voices in nuclear energy attended the workshop. Some of the individuals that I had the privilege to interface  with included; Michael Annacone, Vice President of Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant for Progress Energy; Michael Rencheck, Chief Operations Officer for AREVA; Thomas Williamson, Vice President of New Plant Marketing Strategy for AREVA;  and Jeff Merrifield,  Senior Vice President of Shaw’s Power Group. Dinner and entertainment were held in very prestigious and impressive venues in Washington DC, which included The Library of Congress as the backdrop for our final night at the workshop.

NA-YGN AREVA Members pictured (L-R) J Carrington Dillon, Dr. Landon Kanner, Josh Lester, Craig Kelley, Mike Bloom, Justin Inman, Erik Haas, Becky Rollins, Jeff Marozzo, Wayne Lee, Luis Durani, Rebecca Edwards, Rebecca Knott, Shelley Hodgson, Nissia Sabri, and Aaron Pierce. AREVA's Charlotte Chapter won Best Chapter for the Carolina's Region and AREVA's Lynchburg Chapter won Best Chapter for Atlantic Region.

The final day of the workshop was spent on Capitol Hill talking with congressional representatives. With Fukushima Daiichi continuing to make headline news throughout the world, there was a continuum of dialog spent on this subject.  Most of the NA-YGN teams encountered an interesting mix of pro-nuclear supporters from both Republicans and Democrats. Kara Weishaar, the representative of Senator Richard Burr from North Carolina, was kind enough to talk with us on the senator’s view of nuclear power. Senator Burr is pro nuclear and a strong advocate of eliminating our high demand for fossil fuels. The common view on Capitol Hill is the support for non-carbon producing means of electricity as in the production of wind and solar power. Our enthusiastic groups pushed the outweighing statistics on wind and solar energy vs. nuclear. Although we saw the (nuclear power) support from most of our congressional leaders, their voices were heard only behind closed doors. Strong, outspoken support for nuclear energy was almost nowhere to be found in our nation’s capitol.

NA-YGN AREVA Members pictured (L-R) Dr. Landon Kanner, Mike Bloom, J Carrington Dillon, Becky Rollins, Justin Inman, Josh Lester, and Kyle Scarola after visiting Capitol Hill office buildings to speak to their local Representatives about Nuclear Energy

All -in-all, the workshop was a great tool to prepare our young generation of nuclear engineers for the future.  Many of us will face demanding evaluations in the years following the Fukushima Daiichi event.  To quote Theodore Roosevelt, “The boy who is going to make a great man must not make up his mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses and defeats.” Like many industrial fields, the nuclear industry has seen its share of set-backs over the last thirty years. It is our job as professionals to move past these hurdles and continue to strive forward in building safe, innovative and reliable nuclear power plants.

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In response to the events at Japan’s Fukushima reactors following the devastating earthquake and tsunami Democratic Congressman Bobby Rush, from Illinois’ 1st Legislative District in Chicago, visited Dresden Nuclear Power Station on Friday, March 18, 2011.  The Congressman is a Chairman of the House of Representative’s Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection and wanted to get a first hand look at Dresden Station in response to the Japan nuclear issues experienced at the Fukushima units.

While visiting Dresden the Congressman was able to a tour of the plant, including stops to view one of the isolation condensers, the spent fuel pools, the turbine and generator, and a stop in the control room.  Additionally, Dresden Site Vice President Tim Hanley and Exelon Nuclear Chief Operating Officer Susan Landahl reviewed the station’s design and safety systems as well as emergency preparedness and security measures with Representative Rush during his visit.

The visit to Dresden, as well as interviews with Representative Rush and Susan Landahl were documented by ABC 7 Chicago reporter Charles Thomas.  To view the story that was aired March 18 on ABC 7 visit http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8021577.

UPDATE: (4-7-2011) Adam’s pro-nuclear article from Splashlife was discussed on ABC’s The View (4-6-2011) in a discussion about the launch of the website Splashlife.  A link is provided to Adam’s article.  See, here. 

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NA-YGN Member and Treasurer Adam Strange was recently published on the website Splashlife, where he was involved in a point/counter-point debate on nuclear energy’s future in the United States.  Adam does a great job bringing some critical facts to light, including but not limited to, nuclear energy’s economic, environmental, and safety benefits that it offers the United States’ current and future energy portfolios.

Adam shows that the young generation in the nuclear industry will prove to be an asset to pro-nuclear advocacy efforts in the near future.  Great job and excellent work for speaking up and allowing our voices to be heard in the clean energy debate, Adam.

Support an NA-YGN member by visiting, reading, and commenting on his article shown below.  Also, see the counterpoint argument, here:

Point: Nuclear Power Is Our Best Energy Solution for a Better Tomorrow

Adam Strange

March 30^th, 2011

Nuclear energy is a safe, reliable, carbon-free, source of base load electricity. Currently, there are 104 nuclear power reactors operating in the United States providing 20 percent of its electricity. Nuclear energy is the only form of base load power that does not burn hydrocarbons. New nuclear power generation will be needed to help meet future environmental goals, as well as future electricity demands and the need to modernize our nation’s electric generating fleet. New nuclear plants are also an engine for job creation and economic growth. 

Is it practical?
Even though nuclear energy has the highest capital cost for construction, it produces electricity at the second lowest cost to consumers, the lowest cost being gas combined cycle, according to a 2008 independent analysis by the Brattle Group. During a time when jobs are scarce and the economy is low, the nuclear energy industry is actually expanding and is a great source for new jobs and economic expansion. Currently, the NRC is reviewing 13 combined license applications from 12 companies and consortia for 22 nuclear power plants. Each of these will produce a peak of about 2,800 jobs during construction and up to 700 full-time positions once operating. Additionally, the average nuclear plant generates approximately $20 million per year in state and local taxes. 

Nuclear energy produces 20 percent of U.S. electricity and is the only non-carbon base load power generation source in the United States. Nuclear energy helps to diversify the domestic energy portfolio, and by having a diverse energy portfolio, provides a competitive energy marketplace that helps to stabilize price fluctuations in the electricity market.

The nuclear industry is also making great strides in reducing our dependency on foreign countries for our energy needs. Over the next five to ten years, the U.S. nuclear industry will transition from importing 75 percent of its uranium enrichment needs to relying heavily on domestic enrichment capacity.

Is it reliable?
The reliability of U.S. nuclear energy facilities is second to none. Nuclear energy has become the most reliable source of electricity, with an average annual capacity factor of 91.5 percent. Just to put that into perspective, this means nuclear energy is being produced 91.5 percent of every day and night. In comparison, coal has an average capacity factor of 71 percent and wind 31 percent. 

What’s the environmental cost?
Nuclear energy is the only large-scale, clean-air electricity source that can be expanded widely to produce reliable, significant amounts of base load electricity. To show how big of an impact nuclear energy can have on the environment, consider the following statistics, provided by the Nuclear Energy Institute. In 2009, U.S. nuclear power plants prevented the emissions of:

•  647 million metric tons of CO₂, which is equivalent to the CO₂ released from all U.S. passenger cars.
•  0.6 million short tons of nitrogen oxides
•  2 million short tons of sulfur dioxide

A study done by the University of Wisconsin showed the environmental life-cycle impact of nuclear energy is among the lowest of all forms of electricity generation. Nuclear energy is actually comparable to renewables such as wind and geothermal.

In addition to helping contribute clean air energy, the companies that operate nuclear power plants protect the nearby wildlife and their habitats voluntarily. These activities have been recognized by organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, the National Wildlife Federation, the Audubon Society, Trout Unlimited, and several other notable organizations.

What about the social and humanitarian costs?
More than 15,000 deaths are attributed to the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. These tragic natural disasters also damaged a number of nuclear power plants along the Japanese coast. The public’s safety has been protected from the damaged nuclear power plants by the dedicated nuclear workers who have been executing well-rehearsed emergency procedures.

Members of the public are alarmed by the damaged nuclear power plants in Japan. In response, U.S. nuclear organizations are taking immediate actions. First, nuclear energy facilities in the United States are conducting additional drills to ensure they are prepared to respond to an event similar to that in Japan, and are taking other actions to ensure the continued safe operation of U.S. nuclear stations. Second, nuclear organizations and their employees are donating to groups like the American Red Cross and the American Nuclear Society’s Japan Relief Fund to help with restoration efforts. Third, companies and groups like North American Young Generation in Nuclear are increasing their public outreach activities to answer questions about nuclear energy.

Is it safe?
The safe operation of nuclear power plants is the industry’s number one priority - every day, every task. The nuclear industry is proactive when it comes to instilling a strong safety culture at every facility. Companies are responsible for the safe operation and safety culture of their plants, while the NRC provides effective, rigorous oversight. The industry as a whole has developed numerous programs to continually improve the safety of every nuclear facility, and will continue sharing operating experience, lessons learned, and good practices to maintain nuclear operations at the highest possible standards. 

In conclusion, nuclear energy is a safe, efficient, reliable, carbon-free source of base load electricity. Nuclear energy also remains among one of the lowest cost electricity options. Beyond the economical and environmental benefits of nuclear, the industry will be creating many new jobs for a wide spectrum of professions as the nuclear industry continues to expand to meet future environmental goals and energy demands.   

To learn more, visit Clean Energy Insight and North American Young Generation in Nuclear.

Counterpoint: It’s Time to Close the Chapter on U.S. Nuclear Power

 

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Adam Strange is the treasurer of North American Young Generation in Nuclear and has been a board member of the organization for three years. Adam graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering in 2005 and currently works for Duke Energy. 

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The Sandia National Labs Chapter of NA-YGN actively promoted National Nuclear Science Week (January 24th - 28th).  Activities were planned at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History for the “Getting to Know Nuclear,” “Energy Career Day,” “Energy Generation Day” and “Safety Day.”  Sandia Corporation provided transportation for up to 250 kids to travel to museum each day of the week. 

Each child was provided with a Dum Dum sucker relating the size of the sucker to the amount of U-235 needed to power their lives; in addition each child was given a name tag that stated I’m naturally radioactive!  Each day consisted of activities related to that day’s theme as well as the general principles of nuclear engineering - below is an overview of our activities.

• Getting to Know Nuclear (co hosted with the local ANS section) - Geiger counters, calculating annual radiation dose, mouse trap and dominos to explain chain reactions, vandegraff generator
• Career Day - we had several stations explaining careers in nuclear and contrasting them to the “tv” version of nuclear careers, i.e. Homer Simpson vs. a real power plant Operator.
• Energy Generation Day - in addition to the general stations from day one we had a station where kids could learn how a power plant works and act out the different parts of a nuclear power plant, we also explained the principles of fission using a balloon activity.

• Safety Day - we added activities to explain the difference between beta, gamma, and alpha particles and how they penetrate materials, we also had tyvex suits for each of the kids to dress up like a rad worker and understand how we protect ourselves when working with hazard materials.

All in all, we outreached to over 700 kids from 12 different schools in the area, ranging from 5th grade to seniors in high school.  It was a great experience working with the museum to provide activities that would support nuclear.  Over 15 NA-YGNers gave up at least half a day of work to volunteer their time.

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Nearly 1,000 elementary school students were introduced to nuclear power during this year’s Annual Drawing Contest, themed “Roddy Nuclear is the Power of the Future”. Roddy (a nuclear fuel pellet) was the star of classroom presentations where NA-YGN chapter representatives taught 4^th and 5^th grade students about the benefits of nuclear power and the role it plays in meeting our future energy needs.

Following each presentation, students were encouraged to draw posters that exemplified this year’s theme. Thirty schools were represented amongst the entries received. Finalists were chosen, and the winning drawings were selected by participants of the 2010 NRC National Convention in November.

The three winning artists have been notified and will receive a science kit, NA-YGN honorary membership and t-shirt, and a set of nuclear science books for their school’s library. The first-place winner will also receive a set of books of their very own!

Thank you to all chapters who made this event a success. Your dedication to public outreach has no-doubt sparked an interest in science and energy production in tomorrow’s “young generation”.

First Place

1st Place – Gabby Bindseil, St. Bernard School, Westinghouse PA Chapter

Runner Up

2nd Place – Anne Spengler, Paul Munro Elementary, Areva Lynchburg Chapter

Third Place

3rd Place – Victoria Schmotzer, Myrtle Elementary, Westinghouse PA Chapter

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The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has posted a new section to their website dedicated to inform the 112th US Congress about nuclear energy and electricity:

http://www.nei.org/112thcongress/

This new section condenses the main talking points about nuclear energy, such as economic benefits, with which members of congress might be concerned.  In addition to providing a basic education for congress, the information in this section can be used by proponents of nuclear, like you and me, to inform the public about nuclear in a clear and concise way. I encourage everyone to explore the new section of this site to brush up on the main talking points surrounding nuclear energy.