A Critique of an Upbeat Assessment of Nuclear Power's Prospects

New reactors are not currently economical compared to electricity generation from natural gas or from other low-carbon energy sources such as wind and solar.  The environmental community, which some blame for crippling nuclear power, has in fact pushed for a price on carbon as a way of building the societal costs of continued carbon emissions into the economics of electricity production.  This would in effect create a significant incentive that is currently missing for nuclear power compared to natural gas.  Congress has stymied such proposals, and until that changes it is difficult to see what will drive growth in nuclear power, regardless of concerns about carbon or the variability of solar and wind power.

A Critique of an Upbeat Assessment of Nuclear Power's Prospects