ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY: VALUE, REQUIREMENTS, THE ROLE OF POLICY

The document advocates for the integration of 'clean firm power' like nuclear energy to complement variable renewables, citing land-use constraints and system costs. It identifies project management and lack of standardization as primary drivers of high nuclear costs and proposes a shift toward manufactured, standardized designs. Key policy recommendations include reforming NRC licensing fees, adopting consent-based siting for spent fuel, and repurposing retired fossil fuel sites.

• Lowest-cost decarbonized power systems in the U.S. typically require a significant portion of 'clean firm power'—sources available 24/7/365 regardless of weather—with literature reviews showing an average of 35% for such sources, including nuclear energy.
• Relying solely on variable renewable energy (wind and solar) at scale leads to escalating system costs due to the need for massive overcapacity, expensive storage, high demand flexibility, or vast interregional transmission networks.
• The land footprint required for a renewables-only system is a major feasibility challenge; in California, the solar requirement for a renewables-dominated system is estimated at 1 million acres, which is nearly 20% of the state's practically available land.
• High costs and delays in U.S. and European nuclear projects are primarily driven by a 'bespoke project model' relying on on-site construction and 'one off' projects rather than standardized, manufactured designs and experienced supply chains.
• Advanced reactor designs (such as fast reactors, liquid metal, and molten salt) offer potential benefits including passive safety, lower capital costs, and the ability to produce zero-carbon fuels like hydrogen and ammonia.
• Repurposing retired fossil fuel mining and power sites for advanced nuclear energy can reduce costs by utilizing existing transmission infrastructure and providing economic stability to affected communities.
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) current fee structure may create barriers for thinly capitalized advanced reactor companies, necessitating a shift toward more public funding or reformed user fee models.

APA

Cohen, A. (2022). ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY: VALUE, REQUIREMENTS, THE ROLE OF POLICY. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/09085116/armond-cohen-testimony-epw.pdf

Chicago

Cohen, Armond. ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY: VALUE, REQUIREMENTS, THE ROLE OF POLICY. Clean Air Task Force, 2022. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/09085116/armond-cohen-testimony-epw.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Cohen |first1=Armond |title=ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY: VALUE, REQUIREMENTS, THE ROLE OF POLICY |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=9 February 2022 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/09085116/armond-cohen-testimony-epw.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{cohen2022advanced, author = {Cohen, Armond}, title = {{ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY: VALUE, REQUIREMENTS, THE ROLE OF POLICY}}, publisher = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/09085116/armond-cohen-testimony-epw.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }