Saving Half of the Clean Energy in the USA and the World

Nuclear power provides half of the low-carbon clean energy in the United States. Providing $12-17 per megawatt hour in credits would preserve this clean energy. This would be the cheapest way to preserve most of the low carbon energy in the world.

A France level of nuclear energy buildup on a global scale would eliminate most fossil fuels in 30 years.

Detailed Simulation Will Enable Load-Following Nuclear Power and 100 Year Nuclear Reactor Life

Oak Ridge National Lab has the Virtual Environment for Reactor Analysis. VERA can simulate safety concerns, reactor startups, and fuel-rod behavior, among other things. Dave Kropaczek, the director of CASL, said utilities could extend the lifespans of their 40-year reactors to 80 or even 100 years.

VERA can help determine if major components like the reactor vessel— are in good condition.

VERA simulation can help utilities is by modeling their energy output as the grid changes. VERA can look at every fuel rod, every fuel pellet in the core and look at load-following stresses in the fuel. As long as the fuel stresses are kept within reasonable bounds, more aggressive load-following could be possible. This will enable nuclear reactors to blend in energy production with intermittent solar and wind power.