[Approx. Read Time: 5 min]

Last week FIVE PEOPLE were KILLED due to a GAS EXPLOSION in Allentown, Pennsylvania.  In DISGUST of hearing how once again a VIOLENT GAS EXPLOSION has TAKEN NUMEROUS LIVES, I thought it appropriate to provide some detailed information regarding the amount of lives lost in severe accidents with respect to energy source.  It is also important to ask WHY these ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

Recently, the Nuclear Energy Agency, of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), published a report [1] that compares nuclear accident risks with those from other energy sources.  The OECD is a forum where the governments of 32 democracies work together to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges of globalization.  The OECD attempts to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice, and work to coordinate domestic and international policies [1].

The report compares the severe accident data from a wide range of energy sources.  Severe accident is defined in the report as an accident with five or more immediate fatalities.  The data, ranging from 1969 to 2000, was provided by the Paul Scherrer Institute [2].  The results considered full energy chains because for fossil fuel chains, the accidents at plants are minor compared to the other stages of the energy chain.  In general and as applicable, an energy chain comprises exploration, extraction, transport, storage, power and/or heat generation, transmission, local distribution, waste treatment and disposal.

Summary of Severe Accidents (≥ 5 Fatalities) from 1969-2000 [1,2]

Energy Chain	OECD Countries (Industrialized)		Non-OECD Countries (Developing)		Worldwide
	Accidents	Immediate Fatalities	Accidents	Immediate Fatalities	Accidents	Immediate Fatalities
Coal	75	2,259	102 A	4,831 A	1,221	25,107
			1,044 B	18,017 B
			819 C	11,334 C
Oil	165	3,713	232	16,505	397	20,218
Natural Gas	90	1,043	45	1,000	135	2,043
Liquefied Petroleum Gas	59	1,905	46	2,016	105	3,921
Hydro	1	14	10	29,924	11	29,938
Nuclear	0	0	1	31D	1	31
Notes:
A - Coal, Non-OECD Countries, excluding China
B - Coal, Non-OECD, data for China alone from 1969-2000
C - Coal, Non-OECD, China data from the years 1994 -1999 only; the extreme number likely indicates inconsistencies in reporting before 1994
D - Immediate fatalities only

More than 2,500 people are killed every year in energy-related severe accidents (≥ 5 fatalities).  One hydro power incident that occurred in China was responsible for 29,924 deaths.  Single oil related accidents in the Philippines and Afghanistan caused 4,386 and 2,700 prompt fatalities respectively [1].

The one nuclear severe accident that has occurred is the Chernobyl (Ukraine) accident.  There were 31 immediate fatalities following this accident, with latent deaths estimated to be between a total of 9,000 and 33,000 over the next 70 years based on current radiation dose risk coefficients [1].  By way of comparison, the OECD reports that outdoor air pollution due to fine particles (≤ 10 microns) is estimated to have caused approximately 960,000 premature deaths in 2000 alone.  Of this pollution, approximately 30 % arises from energy sources [1].

Production of electricity by means of NUCLEAR ENERGY DOES NOT PRODUCE CARBON EMISSIONS.

As we can all agree, the death of a human being due to generating electricity is unacceptable; however, it is necessary to understand that improper design of a containment structure, disregard for safety procedures, and human error lead to the disaster that occurred at Chernobyl.

Existing NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS and the recently proposed units utilize a “DEFENSE-IN-DEPTH” approach to NUCLEAR SAFETY.  This means that there are MULTIPLE SAFETY MEASURES that are provided to PREVENT such an accident from occurring due to mechanical or human error.  Also, in the extremely unlikely event such an accident does occur, the PUBLIC IS PROTECTED by the reactor containment structure that is conservatively designed to withstand accident conditions.

Not one person has died as a direct result of the nuclear fission process utilized to generate electricity at commercial nuclear reactors in the US.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) monitors key indicators that support an INCREASE in SAFETY and RELIABILITY at NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS in the US.   Please see previous article, “Myth: As Nuclear Power Plants Age, They Become More Risky,” which provides trends that support increased safety at US nuclear reactors.  Another important statistic is the capacity factor of a plant.  This is the ratio of actual electricity generated to the amount of electricity the plant is capable of producing.  The capacity factory for US nuclear power plants collectively in the 1970s was near 50%.  Currently the average capacity factor for US nuclear power plants is above 90% [3].  This increase in generation output is the result of an INDUSTRY FOCUSED on SAFETY and RELIABILITY.

The protection of the public, workers, and the environment from radiation has been the primary objective of operators and regulatory authorities since the start of the civilian nuclear power industry.  It is the responsibility of all individuals working in the NUCLEAR industry, INCLUDING MYSELF, to perform all tasks to the HIGHEST STANDARDS and to stand firm when nuclear safety is being challenged.  The SAFE operation of NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS is by far the most significant factor in the SUCCESS and GROWTH OF AN INDUSTRY that is poised to SHAPE our CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.

ACCIDENTS continue to occur around the world, including the 2009 HYDRO PLANT DISASTER in Russia that claimed the lives of 76 individuals, the BP OIL SPILL in the Gulf of Mexico last year, and GAS EXPLOSIONS such as the one last week.

The time is now to ask why these accidents continue to occur and why we are not taking advantage of NUCLEAR POWER; a CLEAN, PROVEN, BASE-LOAD ENERGY TECHNOLOGY that this country was the first to develop and benefit from.

The safety and operational history of the nuclear power industry should not only be commended, it should also be a major contributor in the current decisions and legislation to address the future energy demands of this nation.  Addressing the ENERGY NEEDS of society in a way that is both SAFE and RELIABLE is of the utmost importance to ensure a solid clean energy future; rather than doing it at the expense of human lives.

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References

[1]          Nuclear Energy Agency, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) Report, 2010

[2]         Paul Scherrer Institute Data Report

[3]         Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) - Capacity Factor

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The public statement below was given by NA-YGN to the Blue Ribbon Commission on Storage of Used Fuel and Defense Waste on Friday, December 7, 2010 in Augusta, GA.

My name is Stephen Stegall and I am an engineer employed at Southern Nuclear’s Vogtle Electric Generating Plant.  I was born and raised in the Augusta area; I have seen firsthand the benefits of having the Savannah River Site and Vogtle in this community my entire life.  I am here today to share with you my perspectives as a taxpayer, nuclear worker, and most importantly a citizen of the surrounding community.

Nuclear energy is safe and provides sustainable jobs, but it is received cautiously by the average citizen.  Even though I grew up in this area, I knew very little about the technology before working at Vogtle.  When I was interviewing my current position, I was taken on a tour around the plant by a Senior Engineer.  As we were walking towards the buildings with equipment, I suspiciously asked, “So, are we getting radiated right now?”  He just laughed and responded, “Not even close!”  In the few years that I have worked in the Nuclear Industry, I have come to learn why he laughed.  Not only are there redundant safety systems and procedures to protect against an accident at nuclear facilities, there is also the attitude that the safety of the public is priority above all else.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is safer from a personnel standpoint to work at a nuclear power plant than in any manufacturing discipline.  The safety incident rate is approximately 90% safer when compared to other common manufacturing industries.  It is because of this engrained attitude of safety culture and the proven safety record that I believe nuclear technology should be an integral part of this nation’s future in providing affordable and reliable energy.

Another part of this nation’s future is the next generation of nuclear workers in this community and across the country.  I represent the 6,000 young nuclear professionals in an organization known as North American - Young Generation in Nuclear.  We ask the Commission to recommend a timely pathway for recycling and storing of both Savannah River Site defense high level wastes and commercial-used nuclear fuel at a permanent repository, and to honor the Federal government’s commitments in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.  We also urge the Commission to consider interim storage facilities and that the responsibility for used fuel management be transferred to an independent entity with a management and financial structure capable of withstanding political change.  We must accomplish this to ensure sustained growth for an industry that is on the brink of a true renaissance to provide a sustainable energy source.  The nuclear renaissance isn’t just for the local communities building new nuclear facilities.  U.S. manufacturing and labor unions across the country will be greatly affected by it.  Steel mills and suppliers of electrical cables, pumps, valves, piping, motors, electrical breaks, and computer chips across the country are needed to support building these facilities.  Carpenters, iron workers, laborers, equipment operators will be needed to do the actual construction. 

It is important that the commission understand the true utilitarian aspects of nuclear technology when making your recommendations.  The nuclear renaissance doesn’t just touch the local communities embracing the construction of new nuclear facilities and technology.  Nuclear technology is essential to provide safer foods, a sustainable pipeline of medical isotopes used for cancer therapy, in addition to clean and reliable energy to our country.  Due to the necessary role nuclear technology plays in our community, it is important to remember that your recommendations touch the future and sustainability of multiple industries across America. 

To elaborate this point further, I want to give you a positive outlook on the potential your recommendations have on sustainable jobs in America.  It takes a large number of people and companies from the both the local community and across the U.S. to build a new nuclear plant.  To give you a few examples….suppliers and manufactures of steel, concrete, electrical cables, pumps, valves, piping, motors, and electrical breakers across the country are needed to support building these facilities.  Over 2000 carpenters, engineers, iron workers, laborers, project managers, pipe fitters will be needed to do the actual construction.  And… approximately 800 engineers, mechanics, operators, health physicists, and security professionals will be needed to operate the plant once it is built.  It is undeniable the impacts building new nuclear technology will have on the local and national economies and it is all threatened by not having a robust plan for disposal of used fuel.

Before I leave you today, I would like to acknowledge the other Young Generation in Nuclear members in the room.  These individuals are here to help answer questions that the Commissioners, or any of the community members may have, and to show their commitment to helping our nation provide clean, safe, and reliable technology for the benefits of American citizens.  The young nuclear professionals from the local community and across the country are looking forward to your recommendations for the management of used nuclear fuel in the United States. Thank you for your time today. 

Stephen Stegall

NA-YGN President - Plant Vogtle Chapter

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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

Runner Up

 

Third Place

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The public statement below was given by NA-YGN to the Blue Ribbon Commission Sub Committee on Interim Storage and Transportation of Used Fuel on Tuesday, Novemember 2, 2010 in Chicago, IL.

My name is Morgan Davis and I am a chemical engineer employed at Exelon’s Braidwood Nuclear Generation Station. Today as I address you, I represent many different stakeholders that are impacted by your recommendations on transportation and interim storage of used fuel. I represent a taxpayer, a voter, and a citizen from the surrounding community of the plant, and most importantly, I represent the 6,000 young nuclear professionals across North America, also known as North American – Young Generation in Nuclear.

You’ve asked, “Is interim storage the right near term solution for the United States and can used fuel be transported safely and securely?” Per the young generation of nuclear workers, the answer is “yes”.

Currently, the country’s 104 commercial reactors produce about 2000 metric tons of used fuel annually and it is safely and securely stored at the plant sites, in the used fuel pool or dry containers. The utilities and vendors have extensive experience and success with handling used fuel and securing these facilities. This proves that we have a track record and expertise with managing used fuel right here in the United States. It is also important to note that during the past 50 years, more than 3000 shipments of used fuel have been completed safely in the United States, covering 1.7 million highway, rail, and barge miles. Outside of the United States there have been tens of thousands of safe shipment of used nuclear fuel.

I also have seen and touched one of the dry containers that the used fuel is stored in at one of the nearby nuclear sites; I know how secure they are. It is also important to note, that I did not receive any radiation exposure from my close interaction with the stored used fuel.

Considering all of these facts, proven science, and my own personal experience, the safe and secure interim storage and transportation of used fuel is feasible in the United States. North American – Young Generation Nuclear recommends that the Commission consider interim storage facilities and that the responsibility for used fuel management be transferred to an independent entity with a management and financial structure capable of withstanding political change so it does not impede the growth of nuclear power and the sustainability of energy in the United States. These two items, along with a sound policy to help make it a reality, will be the lifeblood of nuclear technology in the United States going forward. Interim storage and transportation of used fuel will also create needed jobs in rural communities as well as keeping stable and secure jobs in communities like mine. Along with jobs, also comes tax revenue for the participating communities to strengthen schools and infrastructure in those areas. There are communities ready for these opportunities and are ready and willing to be partner in the successes of nuclear technology.

Last but not least, per the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the Federal Government has an obligation to each taxpayer and electric utility customer that they will manage the used fuel. Still, the promise of managing used fuel remains unfilled. As a radiological worker, and a citizen living in a community surrounding a nuclear power plant, I would like to give my neighbors a better answer than “the utility manages the used fuel safely and securely on-site in dry containers”. While this used fuel story is muted at times due to the great safety, performance, and economical benefits of the plant, the lack of having a plan for the used fuel challenges creditability for the future of nuclear technology.

The young generation of nuclear professionals is looking to this Commission to help the nuclear industry bridge the story of nuclear with a plan to manage used fuel and give the community confidence with moving forward with nuclear technology. We know the Blue Ribbon Commission will be successful in the development of forward looking recommendations for the management of used nuclear fuel in the United States.

Thank you for your time and this opportunity to speak with you today. The young nuclear professionals across North America look forward to helping make your recommendations a reality.

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Morgan Davis is the current Public Information Chair for NA-YGN.

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The NA-YGN Southeast Regional Conference, being held this year in New Orleans on November 18th-19th, will be co-hosting a nuclear energy debate at Tulane University, with co-sponsors the Tulane Energy Institute and the Tulane Energy Club. The debate will feature two nuclear proponents and two nuclear opponents. Currently scheduled to speak for the pro-nuclear side are William “Bill” Carney, former congressman from New York, and Eric Olsen, General Manager of Plant Operations at Riverbend Station. Currently scheduled for anti-nuclear side is Myron Katz, nominee for Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District.

The debate will allow each side to give a brief opening statement and then will follow with questions posed to the debaters by members of the audience. This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Lavin-Bernick Center in the Kendall Cram Lecture Hall on Tulane’s campus. The debate will begin at 7:00 Pm and will end at 8:30 PM. For more information please visit the website at http://www.se-ygn.org/debate/ or contact Patrick Mason at pmason1@entergy.com

Here is a link to the debate flyer: Tulane/NA-YGN Nuclear Debate Flyer

Besides the debate, the conference also has a plant tour of the Waterford 3 plant planned and several presentations from a variety of speakers around the nuclear industry including Entergy, TVA, NEI, Westinghouse, AREVA, B&W Nuclear, PSEG Power, Southern Company, and the Shaw Group.

 

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If you are an NA-YGN member or a member of the nuclear industry, why did you choose a career in nuclear energy?  Comment below and let us know.

Below, various NA-YGN members offered their reasons for joining the industry during this year’s annual NA-YGN Conference that was held in San Francisco, CA. 

You can also view the videos from NA-YGN’s Youtube homepage:
http://www.youtube.com/user/NAYGN

Enjoy.

Did you want to make a difference?

Were you looking for stability?

Or were you fascinated by energy production?

Special thanks to NA-YGN member Christine Csizmadia for the videos used in this post.

[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes]

President’s Corner with Elizabeth McAndrew-Benavides

From our inception, NA-YGN has been a leader in efforts to inform the public about nuclear science and technology.  When NA-YGN was established, many utility companies did not even publicly acknowledge their nuclear facilities. The public was of the mindset that the industry was shut down, and many government officials did not support the operating facilities, let alone expansion. 

 

It is important to remember how nuclear has changed from a dirty word to our current booming global renaissance. The previous generation of nuclear professionals saw the value in illustrating the industry’s safety, reliability and cost effectiveness. They knew that these elements would aid in the industry’s efforts to overcome the negative viewpoints the public and governments had about our field. For the nuclear youth, the previous generation provided the dedication and foundation we use today to help bring this perception change to fruition.

 

The founding Core members were leaders and made communicating the benefits of nuclear science and technology a priority. NA-YGN developed programs that would support their initiative, such as the 5th grade poster contest to begin public education.   They also began attending the public NRC meetings. These meetings were and still are incredible opportunities for NA-YGN to voice their opinions on safety issues and relicensing of the operating plants. However, when NA-YGN began initiating this outreach effort in the early 2000s, the nuclear community initially did not support our efforts. At the time, the nuclear community was busy focusing on the operational performance of the fleet and legislative issues like Yucca Mountain, not public outreach.

 

The previous generation also knew that the licensing uncertainty under the Code of Federal Regulations part 50 would dissuade operators and investors from considering new nuclear power plants. In the early 1990s, a new licensing method was developed, but not tested. In 1997, Senator Pete Domenici made a speech entitled “A New Energy Paradigm: Resurgence of Nuclear Power” at Harvard University. This speech is what ignited the nuclear renaissance in the United States. Based on Senator Domenici’s vision, the U.S. Department of Energy proposed the Nuclear Power 2010 Program. This program was designed to promote new nuclear power plant licensing in the United States by testing new nuclear power plant licensing under what is commonly known as CFR Part 52. Unless this new process worked, the global renaissance would not be accessible within the United States.

 

Thankfully, NA-YGN remained steadfast in its conviction to engage and educate the public. NAYGN continued attending public meetings for new nuclear facilities initiated by the Nuclear Power 2010 Program. Together, we debunked common held myths about nuclear power and provided scientifically based answers to issues anti-nukes were declaring at the public meetings. Eventually the public meetings were not sensational media events. Instead, they were venues for the public to propose questions and learn about nuclear projects.

 

Since then NA-YGN’s value has been recognized across the industry, our outreach portfolio includes some impressive successes; Congressional Hill Days, the Clean Energy Insights blog, Career Awareness Seminars, youtube.com testimonials and many other activities in the past few years. With all of this effort, I predict that our generation will be remembered as the generation of nuclear communicators.

 

But I wonder if this is enough?

 

I think our collective value could be more than this. Our value to the nuclear community could be creating the innovative vision for the future of nuclear science and technology.  And we need to establish what future we want, together. 

 

I would like the members of NA-YGN to ponder this question: What does NA-YGN want for the future of our nuclear community?

 

I ask each member to spend 5 minutes thinking about this question. I will share with you that my personal goal for the industry is to develop global non-proliferation initiative that I know will keep not only keep me but my daughter, Belen, and her children safe and secure for generations to come. 

 

I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what you hope our future looks like. Please add comments on this blog. I will check them regularly. Thank you in advance for sharing your ideas with me! Every member of NA-YGN is a leader. I hope everyone takes the opportunity to practice your leadership skills by projecting what our future could be and should be. Together, I believe our generation could be remembered as the generation who communicated nuclear’s future.

[Approx. Read Time: 8 minutes]

Nuclear energy’s advantage in job creation continues to be its most attractive asset.  The new generation of nuclear professionals that is now entering the revitalized nuclear industry is the direct beneficiary of this fact, and organizations like the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) showcase its success.

According to the Department of Energy, nuclear power creates 500 jobs per 1,000 MW of electricity generating capacity versus 220 jobs for coal power, 90 for wind energy, and 60 for natural gas generation.

Nuclear Energy Institute’s Marvin Fertel discusses in this in-depth op-ed that nuclear energy is the clean energy job engine that our country desperately needs.  In this op-ed, Fertel details the coming energy challenges that our country faces and offers nuclear energy’s proven benefits as part of the solution.

No clean energy industry has invested more in American workers than the nuclear energy industry.  From AREVA Inc and Northrop Grumman’s $360 million heavy components manufacturing facility in Newport News, VA, to Westinghouse’s Chattanooga, TN training facilities, nuclear power continues to offer promising opportunities for Americans to get to work.

Fertel does a great job with this op-ed detailing nuclear energy’s advantage in job creation.  Did I mention that it’s clean energy, too?

Nuclear Plants Boost Economy, Protect the Environment

A balanced portfolio is needed to meet 20 percent increase in electricity use by 2030

The energy industry is preparing to meet electricity needs in fast-growing population areas today and help spur economic expansion as America pulls out of the recession.  Even with conservation and efficiency efforts, a balanced portfolio of electricity production options is needed to meet an expected 20 percent increase in electricity use by 2030, including vital contributions from nuclear energy.

New electricity production sources will vary by region, and there will be a premium on sources that do not emit greenhouse gases. Altogether, the electric utility industry must invest some $2 trillion in electricity infrastructure by 2030—the largest expansion ever of the U.S. power grid.  This infrastructure development also is essential to meet the expected market penetration of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which will enhance our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported oil.

Energy could be one of the most significant economic drivers for the next two decades. The benefits of such an expansion are staggering when one considers the labor force and supply chain needed for construction and operation of power plants, transmission grids and environmental compliance technology on fossil-fueled power plants.

Most significant low-carbon electricity source

Broad independent studies looking at future energy and climate scenarios clearly point to nuclear energy as an important component of our energy portfolio. Nuclear energy is by far the most significant low-carbon electricity source in America today, with 104 reactors producing one-fifth of all electricity production and 70 percent of all carbon-free electricity. They’re also economic drivers in the communities in which they operate.  A typical nuclear power plant produces $430 million of economic impact to the surrounding communities each year, and the construction of a series of new advanced reactor designs will extend the industry’s economic impact.

The industry is seeking federal permits for the construction of 22 reactors—a small part of the potential $400 billion global market in nuclear energy equipment and services over the next 15 years. 

For the first three new reactor projects in the United States, more than $2 billion in equipment and services already has been procured from manufacturers in 17 states. Another $2.5 billion in export orders for equipment is creating jobs in 25 states as American companies begin to reinvest in the nuclear energy supply chain.

Though today’s economy is slowing the pace of expansion of the electricity sector, our long-term fundamentals have not changed.  We are putting into service nuclear energy assets that will deliver low-carbon electricity safely for 60 to 80 years.

Nuclear industry employs more than 57,000 people

The industry employs more than 57,000 people at the 104 nuclear power plants operating in 31 states, but the nuclear energy work force is multiplied significantly by jobs in areas such as uranium fuel development, the industry supply chain, and skilled craft jobs at new reactors such as the Vogtle project in Georgia and the V.C. Summer project in South Carolina.

These new facilities in Georgia and South Carolina are among the four to eight advanced reactors that the industry expects will be producing electricity by 2016-18. Construction activities already have begun at those facilities and project-labor agreements are in place for three projects.

In preparation for this growth, the nuclear industry over the past three years has created more than 15,000 careers and invested more than $4 billion in new facility development. Plans call for the investment of another $8 billion to facilitate the supply of materials needed for large-scale construction beginning in 2011-2012.

New manufacturing jobs in nuclear energy sector

In the manufacturing sector, there is tangible evidence of expansion in the nuclear energy sector:

-    Alstom recently opened a $300 million turbine manufacturing facility in Tennessee to supply turbines for use in North American power plants.

-    Shaw Modular Solutions built a 410,000-square-foot nuclear modernization facility in Louisiana to assemble structural, piping, equipment and other modules for new nuclear plants that will employ 700 to 1,400 assembly line and skilled technical workers at full capacity.

-    AREVA and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding broke ground last summer on a $360 million manufacturing and engineering facility in Newport News, Va., that will manufacture heavy components such as reactor vessels, steam generators and pressurizers.

All told, these and other companies have already hired more than 9,000 employees.

Economic activity associated with nuclear power plants is considerable. In fact, new nuclear power projects create twice the number of jobs of a comparably sized coal power plant, five times more jobs than wind power projects, and nearly nine times the number of jobs of a natural gas-fueled power plant.  Nuclear power plants also act as an economic multiplier, as each plant employs an average of approximately 500 employees from the local community and generates an additional 500 jobs in the local area.

For example, the expansion of the Vogtle nuclear plant near Augusta, Ga., is a $14 billion investment that will create up to 3,500 jobs during construction and 800 permanent jobs. In addition, more than 1,000 Georgia companies provided $908 million in materials, goods and services to the nuclear energy industry in 2008, the last year for which figures were available.

Strong support from organized labor

Organized labor has been a strong supporter of new nuclear plants, recognizing the significant economic potential for its skilled work force and the environmental benefits of keeping existing reactors operating and building new nuclear plants.

Mark Ayers, president of the AFL-CIO Building & Construction Trades Department, has proposed establishing multi-craft training centers near or at nuclear plant sites as well as developing specialized training partnerships with industry vendors and suppliers to certify all workers and developing programs to train local workers for careers in the nuclear industry.

Edwin Hill, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), recently called nuclear power “essential” to our electricity production portfolio, adding that there is no way to meet the nation’s energy needs without it. The IBEW has developed a code of excellence for its members and has developed training programs to prepare workers for a new generation of reactors.

Our country faces an extraordinary challenge to expand our electricity system over the next two decades. Some have argued that building new nuclear plants at the pace required is impossible.  However, our industry built more than 100 reactors in the 1970s and ‘80s; France built 38 reactors in a decade.

Advanced reactor designs are higher capital cost projects, but the actual cost of electricity from these facilities will be competitive in the marketplace. Today’s reactors have among the lowest electricity production costs in the sector. Based on estimates for new reactor development, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that electricity production costs will be competitive, and in fact, cheaper than most alternatives in 2016.

Affordable electricity for 60 years or more

With low uranium fuel costs and capacity factors (a measure of reliability) that average 90 percent across our industry, nuclear plants compensate for the up-front construction costs by affordably producing electricity for 60 years or more.

Financing new nuclear plants is one of the industry’s biggest challenges, but it is being met with support from state and federal energy policy. Federal loan guarantees can help project sponsors access lower-cost financing for nuclear and other clean-energy power projects, which ultimately lowers the cost of a new nuclear power plant and delivers lower-cost electricity to the consumer.

Loan guarantees are a mechanism that extends the federal government’s credit rating to companies that allows them to finance projects that are in the national interest. The loan guarantee program is a disciplined process that operates under strict controls and sets a high bar for companies seeking credit support. The industry will pay fees associated with these loan guarantees, so there is no liability on taxpayers when the projects come on line.

State governments also offer incentives to encourage construction of nuclear power plants. For example, Georgia enacted a law that enables Georgia Power, now building new reactors at Vogtle, to recover construction costs as it builds the plants. By doing so, the company expects to save $1.5 billion on the final cost of the reactors—savings that will be reflected in consumer rates for electricity from the facility.

Meeting America’s greenhouse gas reduction targets

Analyses of climate change policy by independent organizations conclude that reducing carbon dioxide emissions will require a portfolio of technologies, that nuclear energy must be part of the portfolio, and that a major expansion of nuclear energy over the next 50 years is essential.

A 2009 National Academy of Sciences study showed that 77 nuclear power plants must be built by 2035 and operating with the high efficiency of current reactors to effectively meet America’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Wind and solar energy will play an important role in our low-carbon energy portfolio, but they account for less than 2 percent of total U.S. electricity supply today. The prospect for renewable energy development differs widely by region, and until there is storage capacity for the electricity produced at these facilities, they operate only 30 percent of the time. Therefore, fossil fuel sources, primarily natural gas, are required as a back-up source of power to the grid where renewables are used.

The coming decades will witness the most significant challenges the nation has ever faced in meeting the twin imperatives of meeting rising electricity demand and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. No single technology can accomplish these tasks alone and they certainly cannot be accomplished overnight. Low-carbon sources like nuclear energy, hydro, solar and wind all must contribute.

Supporting the development of new efficient and environmentally friendly technology such as nuclear energy will create hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs while improving our environment for generations to come.

Marvin S. Fertel is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute. He has 35 years of experience consulting for electric utilities on issues related to designing, siting, licensing and managing both fossil and nuclear plants.

[Approx. Read Time: 8 minutes]

I recently gave a presentation at the International Youth in Nuclear Conference (IYNC) in Cape Town, South Africa, on the key aspects of a successful young generation in nuclear organization.  Being that one of the new goals of Clean Energy Insight is to share information with the entire NA-YGN Organization, I’d like to share an abridged version of the presentation with you here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First off, the basics:

• What is a young generation in nuclear (YGN) organization?

A YGN chapter is an important tool for professional and personal growth for young members of the nuclear industry.  Here are some examples of YGN’s from around the world:

European Nuclear Society - http://www.euronuclear.org/welcome.htm

South African Young Nuclear Professionals -http://www.saynps.co.za/

North American Young Generation in Nuclear - http://na-ygn.org/index/index.html

I am a member of AREVA’s Charlotte, NC chapter of North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN).  NA-YGN’s Mission Statement is as follows:

“The mission of the North American - Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) is to unite young professionals who believe in Nuclear Science and Technology and are working together throughout North America to share their passion for a field that is alive and kicking.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NA-YGN activities around North America include:

• Uniting different sectors of nuclear science and technology.
• Representing  the interests and ideas of young nuclear professionals within the industry at industry gatherings and international conferences.
• Facilitating industry growth through  enhanced recruiting and retention.
• Public communication and education.
• Networking and professional development.

So, how can you create a successful YGN in your office?

By first focusing on three key areas (in order of importance):

Individual

promote individual growth and development of your colleagues’ personal and professional skill sets

Community

work to improve the local community through established and coordinated volunteering activities

Industry

if you improve the abilities and skills of your individual colleagues, and actively participate in community volunteering activities, the nuclear industry and your company will benefit in the long run

In my NA-YGN Chapter,  we accomplish these goals through what we have come up with as the keys to a successful chapter:

Keys to a Successful Chapter

Responsibility Leads to Leadership

Give everyone in your chapter a chance to lead by fostering their personal interests and skills.  Here is an organization chart of our NA-YGN committee members from our chapter in Charlotte: (Click image to enlarge)

Notice that we have many different positions.  There is no set organizational chart that every NA-YGN Chapter must follow.  We create these positions when a need is identified, or when an individual approaches the committee with a new idea on how they can help increase our effectiveness and visibility.  For example, we recently created our “International Liason” position this year in order to get more involved with some of our colleagues overseas.

We also started a “Civic Involvement Project” this past year.  With these new activities, our NA-YGN Chapter will attempt to advance the nuclear industry by educating the general public and policy makers on the benefits of nuclear energy.

Also notice that we have several “Co” positions.  We do this for several reasons.  One is that the position requires a lot of work and involvement that may be taxing on an individual, so we get another individual to help out and share responsibilities.  Another is that some positions require a year of training and turnover before an individual is expected to be able to fully take on the responsibilites that the position requires.

Opportunities to Grow

Provide opportunities for your colleagues to grow professionally and personally through some of the following activities:

Volunteering

List of 2009 Volunteering and Fundraising Activities:
Mathcounts Foundation
Boy Scout’s Explorers’ Post
Engineer’s Week (E-Week)
Regional Science Fair
Bridge Jobs
ASCE Carolina’s Conference
Ada Jenkins 5K Race and BBQ Competition 2009
United Way Day of Action
Second Harvest Food Bank
24 Hours of Booty
Salvation Army’s Center of Hope
American Heart Association’s Heart Walk 2009
Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure 2009
University of North Carolina at Charlotte Engineering Picnic
Florence Crittenton
Habitat for Humanity
Mock Interviews at UNC-Charlotte
Society of Women Engineers Etiquette Dinner
St. Jude Give Thanks Walk
Engineering Freshman Learning Committee at UNC-Charlotte
Mud Volleyball with Habitat for Humanity

Networking

Nuclear industry networking events include YGN annual conferences, professional group conferences and workshops like the American Nuclear Society (www.ans.org), and International Youth in Nuclear Congress (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Youth_Nuclear_Congress).

You can also coordinate networking activities with other NA-YGN Chapters in your area through social activites.

Social Activities

Another good way to develop the social and networking skills of your nuclear professionals include participating in or coordinating social activites.  Activities like these can truly benefit an industry known for having a wealth of engineers and scientists.

Some social activities that we participate in in Charlotte include events at the National Whitewater Center (http://www.usnwc.org/), bowling at Strike City Charlotte (http://strikecitycharlotte.com/), and go-karting at Victory Lane (http://www.377fast.com/).

Activities like these give your chapter a chance to kick back and get to know one another.  They also serve as an effective recruitment and retention tool for employees.

Pro-Nuclear Energy Advocacy Activities

Participating in pro-nuclear advocacy campaigns is another way to sharpen the public speaking and communications skill sets of your members.  In Charlotte, we have come up with a few different activities that do just that.

Speaker’s Bureau

Our “Speaker’s Bureau” is a group of individuals who are preparing a basic presentation that will hopefully educate the general public on the benefits of the cheapest, cleanest, safest, and most reliable form of energy–nuclear energy.  The current plan is to target local schools and community organizations.

Letter Writing Campaign

Our self-explanatory “Letter Writing Campaign” is an attempt to show pro-nuclear energy support to policy makers at the local, state, and national levels, as well as local and national media publications.

Plant Tour Initiative

Our “Plant Tour Initiative” is planning to invite policy-makers from all over the state to visit nuclear energy facilities in their districts.  This will allow the politicians to become familiar with what the industry is doing in their state.  In North Carolina, the nuclear industry is an important part of the economy.  We hope to educate our politicians on our continued safe operations that generate millions of dollars in revenue for the state on a yearly basis.

Opportunities to Learn

Our NA-YGN Chapter offers opportunities for our individual members to learn through what we call “Brown Bag Presentations.”  These presentations are held over lunch, and are given by experts from our own office or even from other companies around Charlotte.  Some of these brown bags include presentations on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Digital Control Upgrades
• St. Lucie Steam Generator Replacement Outage Presentation
• Introduction to Nuclear Power and Nuclear Physics
• Design Basis vs. Licensing Basis, Licensing Documents, 10 CFR
• Codes and Standards
• Fundamentals of Seismic Design
• Piping Analysis and Support Restraint Design
• Technical Writing
• Materials Selection
• Human Factors Engineering
• Defending Nuclear - A Presentation on Advocacy
• Fire Protection Design
• Electrical Grid Overview
• Anchorage Design
• Welding and Welding Design
• Valves and Pumps
• Financial Planning Workshop Presented by Fidelity Investments

Professional Exposure

Civic Involvement

Encourage your members to get involved in promoting the nuclear industry in a number of arenas.  The picture below is from a trip that NA-YGN took to Capitol Hill during our National Conference in Washington DC.  We got to stand in during some Senate Energy Committee votes on some nuclear energy provisions in the 2009 cap-and-trade energy bill.

Conferences

Encourage and provide your members the opportunities to attend professional conferences like the annual NA-YGN Conference, American Nuclear Society conferences and Women in Nuclear Conferences.  The picture below is from the NA-YGN Annual Conference in San Francisco.  The theme was “Go Green.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speakers

It’s also good to give your members opportunities to get involved by hearing some of the leading pro-nuclear industry voices in the industry speak about current events.  Below is Patrick Moore, co-founder of GreenPeace, who is now one of the most prominent voices in the nuclear industry.  Mr. Moore is Co-Chair of the CASE Energy Coalition, a pro-nuclear organization (http://casenergy.org/).  When Mr. Moore is in town, be sure to notify your NA-YGN members of the opportunity to hear him speak.  Give them the chance to let him know what the young generation in the industry is doing to help foster the nuclear renaissance.

What’s Next for Professional Exposure?

The latest participation by my NA-YGN Chapter in professional exposure has been in the form of pro-nuclear advocacy on this website, Clean Energy Insight.  Mike Bloom and myself created this website in the Summer of 2009 to be a tool to help other young nuclear industry members to get involved with advocating their industry and reach out to the public on nuclear energy issues.

Currently, we are using Clean Energy Insight as a tool for NA-YGN members to:

1. Educate and raise awareness of nuclear power for the general public by dispelling myths, and putting nuclear facts into new and eye-opening perspectives.
2. Serve as an online tool for NA-YGN, i.e. sharing information like advocacy program experiences with other chapters.
3. Showcase NA-YGN activities that include volunteering, advocacy, and networking activities.
4. Personalize and re-vamp the public’s perception of the nuclear industry.

With the recent addition of almost 6,000 NA-YGN members to the potential field of contributors and supporters, Clean Energy Insight hopes to become a staple mouthpiece for the young generation’s ideas, actions, and accomplishments.

Here is an example of how we are presenting nuclear energy facts in new ways.  This image is from our “What Does Renewable Energy Look Like?” blog that compared land usage of nuclear to solar photovoltaic and wind energies.  As you can see, nuclear has the advantage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funding is Essential

Funding is essential for any functional NA-YGN Chapter.  Everything will cost you some amount of money, from sending people to International Youth in Nuclear conferences to buying soccer balls, cones, and water for a weekly after-work soccer game.  The way that NA-YGN secures funding is through company support.

At AREVA, we are fortunate to have extremely supportive executives that ensure that NA-YGN has the tools to develop our individual members’ skill sets and to promote the entire nuclear industry through activities like community volunteerism and pro-nuclear advocacy.

Without the help of our executive sponsors, our NA-YGN Chapter would not have the tools and encouragement that we need to have an effective and successful NA-YGN Chapter.

How to Guarantee Funding?

The best way to guarantee funding is to prove to your executive sponsors that you can effectively improve the skill sets of your colleagues involved in NA-YGN, improve your company’s visibility in the community, and consequently add value to your company and the nuclear industry as a whole.  By doing this, you will gain valuable executive sponsorship and support.

Our NA-YGN Chapter sets up a yearly meeting with our executive sponsors where we present our goals and expectations for the coming year.  This is done with a detailed plan on how we will execute these goals and what it will take to execute them.  After agreeing on an annual budget and a comprehensive Annual NA-YGN Chapter Plan, we do our best to keep our promises and raise the bar on our performance each year.

At the end of the year, we present our year-end results in a detailed End-of-Year Report to our executive sponsors.  Remember:

Success guarantees support.

Sample Chapter Goals

Here are a few examples of our Chapter Goals that have been presented in past NA-YGN annual plans:

• Reducing our yearly budget
• Increasing active membership (percentage of NA-YGN members actively involved in NA-YGN activities)
• Ensure more professional conference attendance
• Perform over 1,000 hours of community volunteer service
• Plan at least three (3) events with local NA-YGN Chapters
• Plan at least two (2) events with other AREVA NA-YGN Chapters

Setting precise goals that set the bar high, but are also reasonably achievable offer you the best way for your NA-YGN Chapter to be effective and successful.

Conclusion

A successful young nuclear professionals organization is one that is defined by involvement!

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The author would like to acknowledge Dr. Landon Kanner, as well as past Co-Chairs of the AREVA NA-YGN Charlotte Chapter Juan “Jonny” Abendaño and Matt Santore for their contributions to this presentation.

The author would like to recognize former NA-YGN Public Information Chair Sarah Leversee as a co-contributor to this effort.

For a link to this document, click here.

[Approx. Read Time: <1 minute]

The North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) unites young professionals who believe in nuclear science and technology and are working together throughout North America to share their passion for a field that is alive and kicking!

NA-YGN believes that nuclear energy must be part of our solution for a balanced and secure energy mix.

Nuclear energy is:

Safe and Secure

The nuclear industry’s safety performance is among the best of any energy sector.  Nuclear plants are the most secure industrial facilities, and were so even prior to 9/11.  The industry has invested $2.1 billion above its ongoing security expenses to enhance its security and safety measures [1].

Reliable

Since 1990, commercial U.S. nuclear power plant capacity factors have risen from 66% to nearly 92% in 2007 [2]. When combined with power uprates, this results in an output increase equivalent to adding 29 new 1000-megawatt power plants.

Nuclear power accounts for nearly 20% of all power production in the United States and 16% of all power production in the world [3,4].

Cost Competitive

Since 2006, the average electricity production cost for nuclear power was 1.72 cents per kilowatt-hour, versus 2.37 cents for coal-fired plants, 6.75 cents for gas, and 9.63 cents for petroleum [6].

Nuclear is the only power industry that accounts for all its byproducts and includes in its price the cost of waste management and plant decommissioning.

Clean

Nuclear energy is the world’s largest source of emissions-free energy. It accounts for 74% of emissions-free energy in the United States.

One uranium nuclear fuel pellet the size of the tip of your little finger can produce the equivalent amount of energy provided by 1,780 pounds of coal, 149 gallons of oil, or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas [5].

Engine for Job Creation

Construction of new reactors will yield an estimated 610,000 jobs in the nuclear industry.  Currently, there are competitive opportunities for technicians, engineers and skilled trade workers ready to be filled [7].

The Future

The Department of Energy projects a 21 % increase in electricity demands by 2030.  The nuclear industry has responded to the demand with 17 applications for 26 new reactors. These are currently being reviewed by the NRC [2].

The federal loan guarantee program is necessary component for building new nuclear power plants.  Loan guarantees give the nuclear industry the financial stability to move forward with hiring and new plant construction.

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 1.  Nuclear Energy Institute, Nuclear Power Plant Security, Accessed 31 January 2009 from http://www.nei.org/filefolder/Nuclear_Power_Plant_Security_Feb2008.pdf  
2.  United States Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration,   Accessed 31 January 2009 from http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelnuclear.html

3.  Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. Electricity Generation Fuel Shares, Accessed   31 January 2009 from
http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/uselectricitygenerationfuelshares/ 

4.  Nuclear Energy Institute, World Nuclear Power Generation and Capacity.   Accessed 31 January 2009 from http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/reliableandaffordableenergy/graphicsandcharts/worldnucleargenerationandcapacity/   
5.  Nuclear Energy Institute, Emissions Free Sources, Accessed 31 January 2009 from http://www.nei.org/filefolder/Infographic_Emission_Free_Sources_2007.jpg  

6.   Nuclear Energy Institute, U.S. Electricity Production Cost. Accessed 31   January 2009 from http://www.nei.org/filefolder/u.s._electricity_production_costs.ppt

  7.  Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, Job Creation in the Nuclear Renaissance, Accessed 31 January 2009 from http://www.cleansafeenergy.org/LinkClick.aspx?link=CASEnergywForewordpg.6.pdf&tabid=243

[Approx. Read Time: 3 minutes]

How was the Cape Town International Youth in Nuclear Conference (IYNC) meeting?  

To quote Kansas State student and attendee Sam Brinton– “Amazing.”

Nothing compares to breaking free from the northern hemisphere for the first time to attend your first global youth in nuclear conference. South Africa was a wonderful host for this international meeting which focused on building international collaboration and understanding for young professionals and students in nuclear science and technology.

Many of the North American delegates arrived to Cape Town on Sunday, July 11th. That’s right World Cup fans… We were in South Africa for the World Cup finals. What could be a better way to begin a week long international journey, than by joining together with global visitors to watch the final game from the massively populated “fan centers” that were placed in Cape Town for everyone who didn’t actually have tickets for the final game. For those of us who were less than diligent with keeping up with the World Cup, the Vuvuzela horns stole the show.

After the excitement died down from the World Cup, the North American delegates were able to bond with the rest of the international delegates during a day of team building. The team building consisted of a series of IYNC games developed to make diverse teams compete on a physical, intellectual and on a teamwork levels. Teams competed in six competitions that included a very competitive 3 step jump, a wicked variation of jacks that used marbles, a nuclear themed knowledge game, learning and executing the uniquely South African Diski dance, blowing the Vuvuzela, team jump roping, and puzzle solving.

Little did the North American delegates know that the Diski Dance would not only become a center point of cultural awareness for the entire conference, but our own Communication Chair and USA Representative to IYNC, Misha Swanson would become an expert. Representing the North American bid to host the 2012 conference, Misha performed a dance-off of the Diski dance against the Japanese and UK bid leads during the opening reception.

Wednesday nights’ cultural event was dinner at a South African winery. Attendees were stuffed full of traditional African cuisine including Springbok Antelope, Ox and Ostrich. The evening’s cultural awareness included an introduction to Zulu cultural. Attendees were all adorned with traditional Zulu face painting and were introduced to traditional Zulu dancing. Once the educational portion of the evening was complete, North American delegates led the Diski dance kick-off to the night of dancing.  Craig Albers (Fluor), Rick Molenhouse (Exelon) and Sam Brinton (Kansas State) all danced like mad men along with European Young Generation Chairman, Edouard Hourcade.

For me, Thursday was the big day… Technical presentations and workshops continued during the day, but I was waiting for the IYNC board meeting. During the board meeting, I helped to co-present the North American bid to host the 2012 IYNC conference in Charlotte North Carolina. I can honestly say I am glad I didn’t have to decide between the three bids. The Japanese’s suggested conference theme of “Young professionals dedicating themselves to a lifetime of non-proliferation and technical tours of the memorial at Hiroshima” and the UK’s fantastic cultural prospects of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London were tough pitches to follow.  In the end, Charlotte’s unique bid feature of embedding a professional development track of strategic planning into the normally technical IYNC schedule won the board’s favor. Once the decision was official, the North American delegation proceeded to stay-up into the wee hours of the night face book posting, emailing and skyping with colleagues all through North America to  tell them the news.

I do not want to leave out the most important aspect of our free time in Cape Town. What most of us North American’s did with our free time was shop, shop, shop.  And what did we shop for, we were shopping for Vuvuzelas. I’m pretty sure the North American delegates can open a Vuvuzela store with the number of those horns we brought back with us. These horns make a lot of noise and go perfectly with the Diski dance and the conference theme song of Waka Waka by Shakira.

The Charlotte planning team will have to work hard to make the international delegates feel as warm and welcomed as the South Africans did this year.  The conference truly was “Amazing” and I cannot wait to attend the 2012 joint IYNC/NA-YGN conference in Charlotte.

Be heard.

Do you want to make a difference in the energy debate?

Do you want your voice to be heard all over the world?

Do you want to ensure that clean, safe, and reliable energy is being used?

Contribute to a pro-nuclear website that is doing all of the above.

Join us.

Email us at cleanenergyinsight@gmail.com to apply to be a regular contributor.

A North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) website.

[Approx. Read Time: 2 mintues]  Earth day 2010 was commemorated with the dedication of an Earth Day Garden located at the Entergy Nuclear national headquarters in Jackson, Miss. Amy Pittman, officer for the Mississippi North American-Young Generation in Nuclear chapter, not only helped with the planting but addressed the employee gathering during Earth Day.

“It was a fun project for all three professional groups to work on,” stated Pittman. “We are coordinating efforts of the local chapters of NA-YGN, Women In Nuclear and the American Nuclear Society and the Earth Day Garden was a great way to collaborate.”

 

In 2010 a lot of environmentalists are not only celebrating Earth Day but are starting to rethink nuclear energy. President Obama himself has endorsed it along with Energy Secretary, Dr. Stephen Chu. NA-YGN members and other Entergy Nuclear employees have taken this small step to better the planet via the Earth Day Garden as a reminder that nuclear is not only a “green” source of energy but reliable, base-load and affordable.

 

April 22 marked the 40th anniversary of Earth Day globally and Entergy supported the event with activities across the organization and information at www.entergy.com/earthday. Entergy is the second-largest nuclear generator in North America and safely operates plants that provide power in Arkansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York and Vermont.

 

[Approx. Read Time: 5 minutes]

 

Exelon employees from the Braidwood Nuclear Generation Station outside of Chicago, Illinois recently changed the game when it comes to nuclear power advocacy in the United States.  Led by their North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) Chapter, Braidwood Generating Station has started a nuclear power education program called Nuke 101.

The program aims to educate 6th-12th grade teachers on nuclear power, in hopes that they will pass this knowledge on to their students–creating a more informed and educated generation of Americans when it comes to nuclear power.

Let’s hope that the Braidwood Generating Station NA-YGN Chapter continues this program into the future, and other NA-YGN Chapters can follow.  This is undoubtedly important to America’s nuclear energy future.

Teachers learn about nuclear energy during Nuke 101

By Jo Ann Hustis

BRACEVILLE – For Dr. Charles Birch, the nation’s pilot Nuke 101 program Saturday was almost a walk back in time with his late father.

“He was a maintenance electrician 41 years for Wisconsin Power, and so, as a kid, I had the chance to understand electrical power,” said Birch, instructor at Coal City Intermediate School and one of 16 area junior high and high school teachers participating in the instructional session, hands-on lab, and tour of the immensely secure Braidwood Generating Station.

“At that time, nuclear just began to become part of Wisconsin Electric Power, so this was a very personal experience for me. I couldn’t help but think of my father walking at my shoulder and saying, ‘Hey, this is something.’”

A first-of-its-kind educational opportunity in the U.S., Nuke 101 was the inspiration of Braidwood Station engineer Morgan Davis and the North American Young Generation in Nuclear chapter at the plant.

“Educating the educators,” station spokesman Neal Miller noted prior to taking the teachers through the giant concrete, two-unit generating station.

“The first time we’ve ever done this. We do plan on taking it to another level, learning what we can here to improve for the next time, and continue building on it.”

The pilot program’s goal was to teach teachers about nuclear power so they can take the information back to their students.

Most of the young engineering professionals at Braidwood Station started in nuclear science by chance. Davis, herself, was introduced to it by someone who invited her to tour a generating station.

“This is an opportunity for teachers to take the wealth of information (from Nuke 101) and pass it on to the younger generation,” Braidwood Site Vice President Amir Shahkarami noted.

Fran Ogden has taught chemistry classes at Seneca Township High School for many years.

All this time, she has lived with La Salle Generating Station in Brookfield Township practically in her backyard, but never visited a nuclear plant until Saturday.

“It’s something I wanted to learn about as much as I could to relay to the students,” Ogden said of her participation in Nuke 101. “We always try to help the students find a career, and this is definitely an area many of them could get involved in.”

When nuclear power came on the scene in 1972, there were 42 generating stations operating across the nation.

Today in the United States, there are 104 operating nuclear plants, supplying 20 percent of the power needed in the country, Shahkarami noted during the instructional portion of the session.

Worldwide, today, there are 439 operating nuclear reactors. Eighty percent of the power used in France is generated by nuclear plants.

Also, another 54 nuclear generating stations are under construction throughout the world today. South Korea alone has 20 operating nuclear plants and another six under construction. Taiwan is currently constructing one nuclear plant. The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Japan are considering building nuclear plants.

China is building from 12 to 15 reactors into each of its nuclear plants.

“That’s massive,” Shahkarami said.

The maximum number of reactors in any nuclear station in the U.S. is two.

In the 1970s, the U.S. had the technology for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, but not today.

“France, Germany and Russia do have the technology,” Shahkarami noted. “They got it from us. But President Jimmy Carter said, in 1977, no to processing nuclear fuel.”

The United States’ biggest nuclear accident, at Three Mile Island, occurred in 1977. Six years later, the nation canceled construction of the 259 generating stations that were on order.

“Because they couldn’t control the cost of construction,” he said.

China is building a dozen nuclear plants at a time today. However, with the financial crisis in the United States , it doesn’t make sense to build nuclear plants here, Shahkarami said.

“But, how long can we depend on foreign power? We haven’t built a nuclear plant in the U.S. since the early 1980s,” he said.

The back end of the nuclear generating process is recycling. The country is looking for new ways of operating this process. Meanwhile, the nation is storing its spent fuel.

“Sometime, someone will come along with a viable idea for reprocessing spent fuel,” Shahkarami said.

In the United States today, there are two kinds of reactors – pressure and boiling water.

Fast-breeder reactors are not in use in the U.S. today. These are fast-neutron reactors designed to breed fuel by producing more fissile material than they consume.

“They are the type that eventually will reprocess nuclear fuel,” Shahkarami said.

He stressed the importance of spent nuclear fuel not getting into the hands of the unauthorized, especially terrorists.

“Because they can extract plutonium from it, and that’s what makes missiles,” he said.

Braidwood Station currently stores its nuclear waste in deepwater pools within the plant, and in dry cask storage on station property.

“Eventually the dry casks have to go somewhere,” Shahkarami said. “The latest reprocessing techniques eventually take the uranium and plutonium and burn them in the reactors.”

At the conclusion of the tour, Dr. Birch, a social science teacher, noted the Nuke 101 class should definitely be an annual offering to educators.

“We in education are educators for all disciplines, so I would want this to continue, and include grades K through 12,” he said.

“We have to recognize we teach students first, and then, in particular cases, a subject area. It’s a very important experience I think ought to be continued.”