New incentives for nuclear in the United States

Nuclear’s carbon footprint is miniscule compared to fossil fuels. In fact, if all the world’s coal and natural gas plants were replaced with low-carbon nuclear, global CO₂ emissions would be reduced by nearly 13 billion tons annually.

Yes. 92 commercial reactors provide a total 94.7 GWe, or about 20% of the nation’s total power output. More than a third of those currently operating US plants are boiling water reactors (BWR) based on GEH technology.

Nuclear is already the most land-efficient means of electricity production, requiring only 2.4 km²/TWh per year. However, an SMR like the GE Hitachi BWRX-300 is also designed to reduce building volume in plant layout by about 90 percent, resulting in a minimal impact on natural habitats compared to fossil fuels.

Many countries have safely used nuclear power for well over 60 years. It is one of the most closely monitored and regulated industries in the world and actually has the lowest rate of fatalities and injuries per unit of electricity compared to all other electric power generation. Cyber security and physical on-site security are top-tier and on guard 24/7/365.

The reactors themselves are built to strident safety specifications, constantly monitored, and layered with multiple redundancy systems to maintain the unprecedented track record of safety the industry has achieved.

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) is tasked with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy. It is an independent agency whose responsibilities include:

• Overseeing reactor safety and security
  
• Administering reactor licensing and renewal
  
• Licensing radioactive materials
  
• Radionuclide safety
  
• Managing spent fuel storage, security, recycling, and disposal
  

Many uses for nuclear technology exist beyond power generation, including:

• Using radiation to kill bacteria, insects, and parasites that can cause food-borne diseases.
  
• Production of new crop varieties.
  
• Industrial inspection; examining the molecular and macroscopic structure of materials.
  
• Nuclear gauges that use a radioactive source to detect item characteristics (that is, thickness, density, or chemical makeup).
  
• Desalination to produce clean drinking water.
  
• Fuel for various modes of travel.
  
• Numerous consumer products—from smoke detectors and cosmetics to frying pans and photocopiers.

There is also research into producing steam supplies for industrial applications and district heating systems.