PS 3480, Environmental Politics, October 17, 2012

How Does the United States Govern Energy?

4. The Politics of Nuclear Power    

     Characteristics:

            Geography: anywhere you want

            Product characteristics: requires a very high capital investment, including decommissioning & waste disposal

            Cost driven by high capital investment and potential liability

The Promise of Nuclear Power

• A history of nuclear regulation

Nuclear Power and Public Policy: Government Encouragement

• The Price Amendment (1957) - limits power company liability
   
• 1975: Nuclear Power at the height of its popularity

The Problems of Nuclear Power

Image Problems

1979: Three Mile Island
 

1986: Chernobyl
 

2011: Fukushima

 

Technical & Economic Problems
 

Economic Problems
 

Nuclear Waste
 

Political Conflict

 

5. Alternatives to Coal, Oil, and Nuclear Power

a. Nonrenewable sources

• Natural gas: Oil’s cleaner twin
   

b. Renewable sources

• Geothermal
   
• Hydropower
   
  • The Tennessee Valley Authority

• Wind Power
  The American Wind Energy Association
   
• Solar Power
   
• Biomass

c. Conservation