New US nuclear plants: one scenario

It is pointed out that the obstacles to new nuclear power plants in the US are many and well-known, but that there are some signs pointing toward at least a partial removal of the obstacles. Electric load continues to grow above forecast rates in many regions. New designs are being developed for smaller, simpler plants with improved safety features, shorter construction schedules, and lower capital requirements, resulting in less financial exposure to the owner. Also, legislative and regulatory initiatives are underway to reduce the uncertainty in the licensing environment. The author reviews these hopeful indications and postulates one plausible scenario for the near-term revival of domestic nuclear plant construction in the US for base load electric generation. According to this scenario, during an energy supply crisis, a group of electric utilities, with favorable nuclear experience, form a consortium with other industry participants, such as suppliers, architect engineers, and constructors, to develop and implement a project which would include several standardized ALWR (advanced light water reactor) units, with each utility owning a portion of each unit.<>