Nuclear Energy in 2013:
Status and Outlook
Briefing for Czech Technical University
Scott Peterson, Senior Vice President
Nuclear Energy Institute
March 11, 2013
Today’s Briefing
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Benefits of nuclear energy
Enhancing nuclear plant safety
Used nuclear fuel management
Short- and long-term outlook for
nuclear energy
NEI’s Role Supporting Industry
• Government
Affairs
• Regulatory
Issues
• Communications
Nuclear Energy: A Solid Value Proposition
Grid
Stability
Clean Air
Compliance
Value
Forward
Price
Stability
Fuel and
Technology
Diversity
Anchor the
Local
Community:
Jobs, Tax Base
Nuclear Energy’s Value Proposition
U.S. Nuclear Plant Capacity Factor (Percent)
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2012 Trends
10% of electric
capacity produces
20% of U.S. electricity
Highest capacity
factor of any power
source
Consistently low
production costs,
lower than natural
gas and coal
Growing recognition
of energy security/
national security
benefits
89.2% without Crystal River 3,
Fort Calhoun and San Onofre
89.6% in 2006
91.8% in 2007
91.1% in 2008
90.5% in 2009
91.2% in 2010
88.9% in 2011
86.4% in 2012 (est.)
Sources: Energy Information Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Consistently High Safety Performance
• Nuclear energy is safe. Fleet safety performance is
consistently high and remained so during 2012
• Major events are rare; most measures of safety focus
on lesser, precursor events that are resolved
• Most recent report from the NRC’s Industry Trend
Program: No significant adverse trends in industry
safety performance
Response to the Fukushima Accident
NRC Top Requirements
• Enhance ability to maintain cooling and containment
integrity during a severe event
• Enhance spent fuel pool instrumentation
• Re-evaluate potential seismic and flooding hazards
• Ensure reliable and accessible hardened containment
vents
• Re-evaluate emergency communications systems and
staffing levels for multi-reactor events
Industry’s FLEX Approach Enhances Safety
• FLEX is a system of comprehensive, tailored safety
measures to respond to extreme events
• 67 sites around the country maintain backup portable
safety equipment
- More portable, backup safety equipment being added at all 65
plant sites to respond to natural events
- Two regional response centers being developed and equipped
to provide another layer of backup equipment
• More than 1,500 pieces of equipment added
• FLEX approach is being emulated by industry in
other countries
National Network for Equipment Sharing
Perceived Safety of Nuclear Power Plants
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Thinking about the nuclear power plants that are operating now, how safe do you regard
these plants? Please think of a scale from "1" to "7," where "1" means very unsafe and "7"
means very safe. The safer you think they are, the higher the number you would give.
Bisconti Research, Inc. with GfK Roper survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, Feb. 8-10, 2013
Favorability to Nuclear Energy
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Overall, do you strongly favor, somewhat favor, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose the
use of nuclear energy as one of the ways to provide electricity in the United States?
Bisconti Research, Inc. with GfK Roper survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, Feb. 8-10, 2013
Safely Managing Used Nuclear Fuel
• Spent fuel stored at reactor sites awaiting U.S.
Department of Energy management
• Yucca Mountain repository project licensing
application review suspended in 2010
• Blue Ribbon Commission investigates new path
toward responsible stewardship
• Meanwhile, U.S. government is paying damages
and courts are considering lawsuits related to
license review and tax on consumers
Used Fuel Management Policy Update
• Early stages of developing
consensus on how to restructure
program
• Industry endorses:
- Complete Yucca Mountain licensing
- Implement consent-based siting for
consolidated storage facility
- Develop new management entity
with access to funds necessary to
complete mission
- Develop permanent disposal facility
(at Yucca Mountain or elsewhere)
New Nuclear Development
New U.S. Reactor Projects
• Five reactors under construction
- Watts Bar 2, online in 2015
- Vogtle 3 & 4 (AP1000), online in 2017, 2018
- Summer 2 & 3 (AP1000), online in 2017, 2018
Vogtle AP1000 Project in Georgia
Crews at the largest
construction project
in Georgia’s history
prepare Vogtle 3 for
6-foot-thick
concrete basemat
Summer AP1000 Project in South Carolina
Rebar placement at
Summer 2 excavation pit
Containment vessel:
lower head and rings
Global Market Leadership
• Westinghouse has built 25 reactors in the EU, 4
AP1000s are being built in China, 4 in the U.S.
• Modular construction techniques allow for
distribution of in-country jobs and concurrent
assembly
• U.S. nuclear technology is a strategic element of U.S.
foreign policy: export technology and safety culture
• AP1000 expansion in global markets could create
additional markets, jobs for Czech-based suppliers
and service providers
Questions?