View this policy brief as a printer-friendly PDF

November 2009

Key Points

• The nuclear energy industry supports the administration’s goal of transitioning the United States to a clean-energy, low-carbon economy. According to independent analyses, a significant expansion of nuclear energy is essential to meet this goal.

• In October, the Nuclear Energy Institute proposed a comprehensive package of policy initiatives required to facilitate the expansion of nuclear energy in coming decades on the scale that independent analyses conclude is required to ensure a reliable supply of low-carbon electricity. (See page four for details on these analyses.)

• Nuclear energy has played a major role in reducing U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides by substituting for fossil fuels that otherwise would have been burned to generate electricity. The 104 nuclear power plants operating in 31 states provide electricity for one in five homes and businesses without emitting carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas. In fact, nuclear energy provides 72 percent of the electricity that comes from emission-free sources, which also include renewable technologies and hydroelectric power plants.

• Nuclear energy is the only scalable option available today that can provide baseload electricity production 24/7 economically and without emitting greenhouse gases. Even if carbon dioxide emissions are evaluated on a total life-cycle basis, nuclear energy is comparable to other energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydropower.

Next Page: "Nuclear Energy's Vital Role" >>

Pages 1 2 3 4