pwr_july-2024 - 36

COMMENTARY
The World Wants Nuclear
Power Again-America Can
Lead
Brendan Bechtel
A
fter a decades-long slowdown marked by fits and starts,
the U.S. is once again building and innovating in nuclear
power. In April, the second of two new nuclear units
went into service at Georgia Power's Vogtle plant. In Wyoming,
TerraPower has broken ground for America's first plant designed
around an advanced nuclear reactor, capable of varying
its output to fill in for fluctuations in wind and solar power. And
in Europe, U.S. firms are teaming up to construct the first-ever
nuclear power station in Poland.
Carbon-Free Power, Made in America
The significance of these milestones is hard to overstate. Nuclear
power is vital to fighting climate change and meeting our
soaring demand for electricity. It's also crucial to our national
security. All of this makes reinvigorating the U.S. nuclear industry
a priority.
Nuclear plants are still the only carbon-free source of
large-scale, steady, 24/7 power. At the recent Nuclear Energy
Summit in Brussels, 32 world leaders confirmed their
COP 28 climate commitments to triple their nuclear capacity
by 2050 in recognition of the technology's essential role in
cutting carbon emissions to near zero. It would be a historic
mistake for America to cede this next wave of nuclear projects
to other countries.
U.S. dominance in the world's nuclear industry from the
1950s through the 1980s was crucial to the responsible growth
of nuclear energy. It promoted strong safety, security, and nonproliferation
standards. It also deepened strategic international
ties and helped the U.S. stay at the forefront of nuclear science,
engineering, and technology.
Despite widespread concerns
about Russian energy in light
of the war in Ukraine, Russia is
still the world's leading exporter
of nuclear construction.
However, apart from Vogtle, the U.S. power industry has
not successfully managed the start-to-finish construction
of a new nuclear plant for 30 years. State-owned nuclear
companies in Russia, China, and now Korea have filled this
vacuum, expanding their own nuclear fleets and offering
nuclear power plants to emerging countries. Despite widespread
concerns about Russian energy in light of the war
in Ukraine, Russia is still the world's leading exporter of
nuclear construction, including the first plants in Turkey and
Egypt.
36
A Wealth of Opportunity
Nations supplying commercial nuclear technologies and construction
understand well that expanding their global reach
enables long-term influence on nuclear safety, security, and
nonproliferation. To be clear, a supplier will typically be involved
throughout the hundred-year life of the nuclear program, including
ongoing arrangements to purchase fuel and provide
training, consulting, and other vital services.
According to the World Nuclear Association, about 30 countries
are considering, planning, or starting nuclear power programs,
and 20 more have signaled an interest. The U.S. should
aim for a thriving nuclear industry that provides a competitive
alternative for nations in the global market.
Plant Vogtle is already moving us in the right direction. It
has begun rebuilding the U.S.'s muscle memory in nuclear construction,
including re-establishing critical supply chains and a
workforce with the specialized skills and hands-on experience
that are transferable to future projects. Bechtel, which was
hired in 2017 to help complete Vogtle Units 3 and 4, partnered
with North America's Building Trades Unions to assemble a
team that peaked at over 9,000 workers.
The U.S. should aim for a
thriving nuclear industry
that provides a competitive
alternative for nations in the
global market.
New Nuclear Projects Advance
Last year, with support from the U.S. government, Bechtel and
Westinghouse signed an agreement with Poland to move forward
with building its first nuclear plant. Geotechnical investigations
at the site are now underway. In the U.S., Bechtel is
collaborating with TerraPower on Natrium, the first advanced
reactor cooled with liquid sodium, having submitted a construction
permit application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
These projects represent important opportunities to build on
the accomplishments at Vogtle.
Continuing to grow America's civilian nuclear sector-including
investments in large-scale designs as well as next-generation
small-modular and advanced reactor technologies-can
re-establish the U.S. as the responsible partner of choice for
new nuclear energy in the decades ahead. The renewed momentum
in Georgia, Wyoming, and Poland is bringing us closer
to that goal. ■
-Brendan Bechtel is chairman and CEO of Bechtel,
a global engineering, procurement, construction,
and project management company.
www.powermag.com
POWER | July 2024
http://www.powermag.com
pwr_july-2024

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