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Biden Administration Goes All In On Nuclear Energy

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, as the Biden administration nears its conclusion, it has released a comprehensive roadmap to significantly expand U.S. nuclear energy capacity, aiming to triple it by 2050. The plan involves a mix of large-scale reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs), and even microreactors, with over 30 actionable steps that the government could implement using existing legislation.

A Strategy for Climate, Security, and Economic Growth

The roadmap underscores the urgency of the climate crisis, which it calls “one of the existential threats of our time.” While this assessment may differ from the incoming administration’s stance, other goals in the report, like bolstering national security, enhancing energy reliability, and restoring U.S. leadership in the nuclear industry, could find bipartisan support.

In addition to a climate focus, the Biden administration sees nuclear energy as a key factor in strengthening the U.S. economy and energy resilience. The roadmap not only outlines future goals but also catalogues the administration’s achievements, positioning a potential nuclear “renaissance” as part of Biden’s legacy.

Reaching 200 Gigawatts by 2050

The report’s ambitious target of adding 200 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity by 2050 requires putting 35 reactors into operation or construction by 2035 and adding about 15 gigawatts annually by 2040. For perspective, one large nuclear reactor produces just over 1 gigawatt, while leading SMR designs range from 77 to 300 megawatts.

Meeting these targets will require substantial advancements in various areas:

  • Fuel Supply and Hardware: Ensuring the availability and resilience of materials and technologies needed to build and maintain new reactors.
  • Workforce Development: Training a new generation of skilled workers to build and operate these plants.
  • Streamlined Licensing and Permitting: Improving regulatory processes to enable faster deployment.
  • Spent Fuel Management: Addressing long-standing issues related to the disposal and storage of nuclear waste.

Financial Tools for a Nuclear Future

The report outlines financial support mechanisms, including the Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Department of Energy’s Innovative Clean Energy Loan Guarantee Program. Jigar Shah, head of the DOE’s Loan Programs Office, recently highlighted the demand for these funds, noting the office currently has $73.2 billion available, with requests for twice that amount. This funding is not exclusive to nuclear but also supports clean hydrogen, aviation fuel, and carbon capture projects.

Collaborating with Existing Nuclear Plants

To support the nuclear expansion, the federal government plans to work with companies interested in clean power and increase its outreach to the owners of operational and recently retired reactors to explore possibilities for hosting new nuclear units at existing sites.

This nuclear roadmap represents a bold vision for the U.S. energy landscape, positioning nuclear as a cornerstone of future energy policy — not just for climate action, but for economic and security benefits as well.

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