Democrats Try to Pull the Plug on Carbon-Free Nuclear Power

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• In 2021, nuclear power produced almost 20% of all electricity in the United States and about half of the carbon-free electricity.
• A lower-carbon future does not exist without nuclear power, but radical progressives want to eradicate it. 
• Republicans have offered solutions to bolster nuclear power and its necessary fuel, uranium. As a global energy crisis grows, the United States must fully embrace reliable energy sources like nuclear. \

As cooler autumn weather takes hold, Europe is warning of a spreading energy crisis. In its aggressive push to reduce emissions and grow renewable energy over the last several decades, much of the continent has turned away from the most reliable source of carbon-free power: nuclear. Back in the U.S., California faces similar energy shortfalls in its rush to embrace renewables, forcing the state to reconsider closing its last remaining nuclear power plant.

Nuclear Is Most Reliable Carbon-Free Energy Source

The radical left in the U.S. and Europe have made clear that nuclear is not a part of their Green New Deal fantasy. In doing so, they have undercut grid reliability and strengthened the hand of our adversaries.

Nuclear’s reliable role in the U.S.

Nuclear power uses the process of nuclear fission to split atoms to generate energy. The main fuel source used to produce this energy is uranium. Despite domestic reserves, the United States is largely dependent on foreign countries like Russia for the uranium to power our nuclear plants.

According to the Energy Information Administration, there are 92 nuclear reactors at 54 commercially operating nuclear power plants in the United States. Nuclear accounted for almost 20% of all domestic electricity generated in 2021 and about half of the carbon-free electricity produced nationwide. Wind supplied less than half as much energy, and solar just 7% of the country’s carbon-free electricity.

In terms of reliability, nuclear power is unmatched. The Department of Energy reported that in 2021, nuclear plants had a capacity factor of 92%, meaning they were able to provide electricity 92% of the time. They were almost three times more reliable than sources like wind, which only provided electricity 34% of the time, and solar, which only produced 24% of the time. The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t shine all day long, but a nuclear plant can reliably produce energy around the clock. While nuclear offers a trustworthy, carbon-free power source, 2021 marked the second year in a row that nuclear power generation in the U.S. dropped. Thirteen reactors have gone offline in the U.S. in the past decade, and more are facing economic or state policy pressure to shut down prior to the expiration of their operating licenses. Additionally, environmental groups are pressuring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reverse its decision to issue subsequent license extensions, which would allow nuclear reactors to operate for an additional 20 years beyond their initial license extension − 80 years in total.

Turning away at the worst possible time

In addition to stemming the use of fossil fuels, progressives have decided they want to eradicate nuclear power. The left has used scare tactics and hysteria to push for the closure of nuclear facilities and block construction of new plants, referring to it as a “false solution” for reducing carbon emissions. In 2019, then-presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said, “Building new nuclear plants in the U.S. is not a sustainable long-term answer to fighting climate change.”

The left in Europe has embraced that philosophy as well, and countries there have produced less nuclear power as they pushed for renewable sources. According to the International Energy Agency, in 2020, electricity generation by nuclear in EU countries was down 11% from the previous year. Germany in particular has fallen into the trap of progressive climate activists and worked to end nuclear power entirely. Instead of maintaining nuclear, Germany increased its imports of cheap, dirty Russian natural gas and coal to make up its energy gap, even building another pipeline with the Russians to access this gas. Russia has exploited Europe’s overreliance on its energy by shutting down the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and has weaponized its energy supply in response to the West’s assistance to Ukraine. Realizing its mistake just as the energy crisis grows worse, Germany has decided to extend the life of two of its nuclear reactors as a backup to avoid an energy shortage. This is after Germany reiterated its plans to shut down nuclear in January and dubbed it “dangerous,” calling on its EU counterparts to take similar action. Their about-face makes clear the plants have the ability to operate longer, but only as a backup source, underscoring the political nature of the decision to cut off the source simply to appease radical environmentalists.

Reports cite 300% increases in benchmark electricity prices in Europe since the beginning of the year, and the energy crisis is already having a chilling economic effect, shuttering businesses. These problems will only get worse if progressives can force the closure of additional nuclear plants across Europe, especially in countries like France, where nuclear generates the majority share of electricity.

California offers a domestic example of the challenges facing a significant transition to wind and solar. The threat of blackouts has become commonplace as the state faces energy shortfalls. California has largely rejected nuclear since it enacted legislation to effectively block new nuclear plants in 1976; the state has been called the “birthplace of the anti-nuclear movement.” California has been home to nine nuclear reactors at six power plants, most of which were out of service by the late 1980s. The state had planned to close Diablo Canyon – since 2013 its lone remaining nuclear plant – within the next three years, but this summer passed legislation to allow flexibility to potentially keep the plant open until at least 2029. The reliability of California’s grid faces more challenges. On the heels announcing all new vehicles sold in the state by 2035 must be electric, it warned residents not to charge their EVs or they would risk blackouts. California’s progressive policies have led to the state being the top importer of electricity, and its people shoulder the highest average price for electricity in the contiguous U.S.

Democrats in Washington spent the summer enacting their reckless tax and spend spree, which they cheered as the “most significant climate legislation in U.S. history.” Instead of rolling back their war on fossil fuels, Democrats decided to raise taxes and increase business costs for energy producers. According to the Department of Labor, the electricity price index was up about 16% in August compared to a year earlier. Unfortunately for families, Democrats’ law does nothing to address soaring inflation or high energy costs.

Republican support For nuclear power

Acknowledging the importance of an all-of-the-above energy portfolio, Senate Republicans have sought to bolster nuclear as a power source. In 2020, Republicans successfully included the Nuclear Energy Leadership Act in annual defense authorization legislation, to provide investments in nuclear research. As part of annual appropriations, Republicans increased funding for nuclear power initiatives at the Department of Energy. Senators have called on their Democratic counterparts to embrace nuclear as a critical component of a diversified energy strategy.

In February, as it became clear Russia would invade Ukraine, senators called attention to the Biden administration’s shortsighted action to omit uranium from the United States Geological Survey’s list of identified critical minerals. Instead of recognizing the importance of uranium by including it on the list, the administration signaled it was content to rely on foreign sources. In an effort to choke off a major funding source for Russia’s war and to spur domestic production, Republicans introduced legislation to ban uranium imports from Russia. Republicans have also introduced legislation to strengthen America’s uranium supply chain for existing reactors and to establish a new supply chain for the high-assay, low-enriched uranium needed for advanced nuclear reactors.

At a time when American families are being squeezed by soaring inflation, Democrats should abandon their dogmatic pursuit of wind and solar and prioritize reliable and affordable energy sources, including nuclear.