Investments in a renewable future can be seen across the globe, and a recent request by NextEra Energy may bring about a shift in US nuclear energy production.
According to Interesting Engineering, the US-based Duane Arnold Energy Center — which was Iowa's only nuclear power plant — shut down operations in 2020, and now NextEra is hoping to have the plant restarted.
Though initial plans after the shutdown were leaning toward solar power, which would have been the most ideal solution from an environmental and cost-per-kilowatt perspective, the company stated they instead plan to "reaggregate Duane Arnold's original interconnection rights to accelerate the recommissioning of the facility," making nuclear energy their priority, per Interesting Engineering.
Nuclear energy is the largest source of "clean energy" in the U.S, according to the Department of Energy (defining it as clean energy because it produces almost no carbon pollution, though "cleaner" or "more sustainable" are probably fairer terms given nuclear's hazardous waste and risks). Nuclear can supply energy on demand — unlike wind and solar, which rely on the weather or time of day, though rapidly improving battery tech solves this — making the move away from dirty fuel sources arguably more seamless, or at least easier for renewable skeptics to grasp.
Pushback on nuclear energy can be broad and stem from historical examples of disasters that are generally less applicable to any modern facility that isn't on a fault line, though security is always a factor. Major concerns pointed to by critics generally come down to safety issues, the production of radioactive waste, as well as the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Though these concerns are fair, they are paired with the benefits, making this energy source complex with clear pros and cons that most scientists agree add up to a better equation than seen with any fossil fuels — especially coal.
High upfront costs are another drawback associated with nuclear energy, though with the closed Duane Arnold Energy Center, the infrastructure is already in place, and the facility has been maintained as part of the process of keeping people safe.
"This process has kept the plant's core infrastructure largely intact," Interesting Engineering reported. "An initial engineering assessment found the reactor to be in good condition, suggesting the entire plant could potentially be restored to operation by late 2028," the article continued, likely with upgraded computer hardware for safety, monitoring, and security.
Now, with NextEra Energy's request filed with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it's just a matter of waiting to see how the plant pans out.
While NextEra is an energy company that operates fossil fuel power plants, it has a reputation for advancing renewable energy and nuclear power initiatives and advancements to lower its overall reliance on dirty fuel sources that would also make the company and country more reliant on drilling and mining that often require foreign sources. CEO John Ketchum recently spoke out about the federal government's "Unleashing American Energy" plan's featuring of coal as misguided, saying that "the train has already left the station on coal."
As with all grid-scale power plants, the energy goes to all kinds of needs in the area including homes, and if you want to become less reliant on the grid yourself, you can install solar panels. Federal tax credits worth up to around $10,000 expire after Dec. 31 and solar projects must be fully installed by then, which can take around 12 weeks, so it's important to act fast if you want to take advantage before it's too late.
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