Another Reactor Closes, Punctuating New Reality for U.S. Nuclear Power

[n2doc]

Christina Nunez
National Geographic

As another nuclear power plant closed this week, the United States faced a dwindling fleet of aging reactors, few new projects, and the challenge of safely mothballing radioactive fuel for decades.

Almost all its nearly 100 remaining reactors will be more than 60 years old by 2050. Their owners will have to decide whether the investments needed to keep them running are worth it, given the influx of cheap natural gas that has reshaped the U.S. energy economy.

So far, nuclear isn't winning. Vermont Yankee, which shut down Monday after 42 years of operation, is the fourth U.S. nuclear facility to close in two years. For the owners of each recent retiree—from Vermont Yankee to San Onofre in California, Kewaunee in Wisconsin, and Crystal River in Florida—the math just didn't work.

"When we looked at the cost of those improvements with what we projected as the cost of energy, the decision was that it would be better to shut the plant down," said Martin Cohn, spokesperson for Vermont Yankee's operator, Entergy.

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http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2015/01/150101-vermont-yankee-shutdown-us-nuclear-issues/

[Demeter]

1. The math never did work, but now they can't hide the truth anymore

[FBaggins]

4. Nuclear generating capacity rises in 2014

Global nuclear generating capacity increased slightly in 2014 as five new reactors began supplying electricity, while just one was permanently shut down.

The year saw new reactors with total capacity of 4763 MWe connected to the grid: Ningde 2, Fuqing 1 and Fangjiashan 1 in China; Atucha 2 in Argentina and Russia's Rostov 3. An uprate at the existing Fermi 2 unit in the USA saw a further 15-20 MWe added.

The world starts 2015 with 436 operable reactors and a total nuclear generating capacity of some 377.7 GWe, compared with 435 reactors and generating capacity of 375.3 GWe a year ago.


http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NP-Nuclear-generating-capacity-rises-in-2014-0501154.html

Just about a lock to have a much larger gain for 2015 and 2016 as the Chinese backlog clears out and numerous Japanese reactors restart.

[NickB79]

2. It appears New England is chosing fracking over nuclear

Yankee generated 70 percent of Vermont's electricity, but the state will be able to replace that power through other regional sources. Still, the shutdown has broader implications for New England. The share of power coming from natural gas-fired plants there leaped from 15 percent in 2000 to 46 percent in 2013, according to a recent report from regional grid operator New England ISO, which works to ensure reliability.

Hooray?

[enough]

3. At the same time, the NRC is approving multi-decade license extensions on aging reactors.

Our local nuke was just given a 20-year extension over its original license.

http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=18591

OCTOBER 29, 2014
Nuclear Regulatory Commission resumes license renewals for nuclear power plants

Following a two-year hiatus, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has resumed issuing license renewals for nuclear power plants. On October 20, the NRC renewed the operating licenses for Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2, located northwest of Philadelphia, extending their license expiration dates by 20 years, to 2044 and 2049, respectively. With this action, the NRC has granted license renewals providing a 20-year extension to a total of 74 of the 100 operating reactors in the United States. Nuclear power accounted for 20% of total power sector electricity generation in 2013.

NRC has the authority to issue initial operating licenses for commercial nuclear power plants for a period of 40 years. The decision to apply for an operating license renewal is made by nuclear power plant owners, and it is typically based on economics and the ability to meet NRC regulations. Operating licenses are renewed by NRC for a period of 20 years. To date, no applications for a second, or subsequent, license renewal, which could extend nuclear plant operating lives to 80 years, have been filed.

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