14 September 2005

Harold McFarlaneDeputy Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Programs

Nuclear—Clean Energy

FLC Regional Meeting

Data supplied by NEI and Entergy

Data supplied by NEI and Entergy

• Scott Peterson—Nuclear Energy Institute– Generic NEI environmental presentation

• Dan Keuter—Entergy – Presentation to Utility Working

Conference 8/8/2005

U.S. Department of Energy Vision for INLU.S. Department of Energy Vision for INL

• Become the preeminent internationally-recognized nuclear energy RD&D laboratory

• Become a major center for national security technology development and demonstration

• Become a multi-program national laboratory with world-class nuclear capabilities

• Foster academic, industry, government and international collaborations to produce the needed investment, programs and expertise

• By 2015

• To enhance the nation’s energy security

What

When

Why

“Another advantage of nuclear energy is that it is a clean source of power … which does not contribute to the current burden of air pollution.”

– Joe Lieberman Atomic Energy

Commissioner

1968

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

71% 24% 1.2% 1.0% 0.1%

Nuclear Hydro Geothermal Wind Solar0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

71% 24% 1.2% 1.0% 0.1%

Nuclear Hydro Geothermal Wind Solar

U.S. Emission-Free Electricity(2003)

U.S. Emission-Free Electricity(2003)

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Nuclear Energy Prevents Carbon Dioxide EmissionsNuclear Energy Prevents

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

• U.S. nuclear plants prevent the same levels of CO2 as produced by 9 out of 10 U.S. passenger cars.

In 2004 U.S. nuclear power plants avoided CO2 emissions equal to 94% of all U.S. auto emissions (138 million automobiles)

Life Cycle CO2 EmissionsLife Cycle CO2 Emissions

Source: "Life-Cycle Assessment of Electricity Generation Systems and Applications for Climate Change Policy Analysis," Paul J. Meier, University of Wisconsin-Madison, August, 2002.

Life Cycle CO2 Emissions Analyses

Entergy

Nuclear Energy Limits Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Power Sector

(2002)

Nuclear Energy Limits Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Power Sector

(2002)

2,410

3,104

140

640

1140

1640

2140

2640

3140

3640

Mil

lio

n M

etri

c T

on

s

29% Greater

Source: EPA

Electric Power Industry CO2 Emissions

Estimated Electric Power Industry CO2 Emissions

Without Nuclear Power

Nuclear Energy Prevents Nitrogen Oxide EmissionsNuclear Energy Prevents

Nitrogen Oxide Emissions

• U.S. nuclear plants prevent the same NOx emissions as produced by 6 out of 10 U.S. passenger cars.

Nuclear Energy Limits Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in Power Sector

(2002)

Nuclear Energy Limits Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in Power Sector

(2002)

10.1

13.5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Mill

ion

Sh

ort

To

ns

33% Greater

Sources: EPA, EIA

Electric Power Industry SO2 Emissions

Without Nuclear Power

New Hampshire’s NOx ProgramNew Hampshire’s NOx Program

• New Hampshire revised nitrogen oxides (NOx) regulations in 2003.

• New non-emitting energy sources, such as nuclear, may receive allowances.

• An uprate at Seabrook nuclear power plant is eligible for these allowances.

Pollution emissions displaced by nuclear in the U.S.

Pollution emissions displaced by nuclear in the U.S.

2004• 3.43 million tons of SO2

• 1.11 million tons of NOx • 700 million tons of CO2

440 worldwide nuclear plants save more than twice the Kyoto Accord CO2 targets annually

Entergy

Nuclear reduces these health effects from fossil fuels

Nuclear reduces these health effects from fossil fuels

Health Effect Study Cases/Yr Mortality HEI, Pope 30,100 Respiratory Hospitalizations 4 pooled 20,100 Asthma ER visits Schwartz 7,160 Chronic Bronchitis Pooled 18,600 Asthma attacks Whittemore 603,000 Lost work days Ostro 5,130,000 Minor restricted activity Ostro 26,300,000

Abt Associates, Clean Air Task Force, October 2000.

Entergy

“We have no time to experiment with visionary energy sources; civilization is in imminent danger and has to use nuclear–the one safe, available, energy source–now or suffer the pain soon to be inflicted by our outraged planet.”

– James LovelockLeading Environmentalist

May 2004

Reno Gazette-Journal 9/12/05Reno Gazette-Journal 9/12/05

“While some reactionaries may scream about the dangers of nuclear power, they cannot both claim there is global warming and not support nuclear power. They cannot talk about energy independence, claim the war in Iraq is about oil, decry the pollution effects of coal-fired power plants and not support nuclear, geothermal and solar power.”

John Scrie, University of Nevada, Reno

International ProgramsInternational Programs

• Fifth reactor in Finland to meet Kyoto commitments, satisfy energy demand

• “Cap-and-trade” programs begun in Europe, most excluding nuclear

• Similar EU program planned• Canada considering program for

greenhouse gases• China adding reactors near cities to

meet energy demand and enhance air quality

Nuclear is competitiveNuclear is competitive

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

Nuclear 1.72

Coal 1.80Gas 5.77Oil 5.53

2003 cents per kilowatt-hour

Nuclear is the lowest of all except hydro.

Entergy

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

Nuclear 1.72

Coal 1.80Gas 5.77Oil 5.53

2003 cents per kilowatt-hour

Nuclear power can reduce dependence on foreign oilNuclear power can reduce dependence on foreign oil

Entergy

Long-TermNuclear power can directly reduce dependence by producing low-cost hydrogen for fuel cell vehicles

Short-Term Nuclear power can displace natural gas-fired

generation. Natural gas can also be used in

cars, trucks, buses and trains.

Total amount of nuclear waste is relatively small and manageableTotal amount of nuclear waste is relatively small and manageable

Current high-level waste volume after 40 years of operations would fill an area about the size of a football field five yards deep

48,000 Tons

~5 Yards Deep

2.4 Yards Deep

Reprocessing has benefits• Decreased waste volume• Converts long-lived isotopes into

short-lived waste (10,000 years 300 years)

• Extends fuel resources• There is no waste problem in the

rest of the world• U.K., France, Japan are

reprocessing, including other countries’ waste

For the long term, the U.S. needs to reprocess to reduce waste volume and to reclaim the 96% of remaining usable fuel

Entergy

Americans support building more nuclear power

Americans support building more nuclear power

Support increases substantially when people realize that nuclear power emits no air pollution or greenhouse gases

6765

51 54 52 54 55

4649

61

5150

4748

5249 51

6258

65 63 62

2629

383536

4139444445

5049

4246 43

39

3036

29 31 3334

20

40

60

80

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Ap

ril-04

Oct-04

Favor OpposePercent who favor or oppose use of nuclear(Annual Averages until 2004)

Oppose

Favor

Per

cen

t

President Bush’sClimate Change Initiative

President Bush’sClimate Change Initiative

• Goal: Reduce greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S. economy by 18% by 2012.

• Nuclear energy expansion will satisfy 20% of emissions reduction goals.

Nuclear Energy Will Meet 20% of Carbon Reduction

Targets in 2012

Nuclear Energy Will Meet 20% of Carbon Reduction

Targets in 2012

Bush administration’s target: 106 million metric tons of carbon

Nuclear energy sector commitment: 22 million metric tons of carbon

MIT-Harvard Study: The Future of Nuclear Power

MIT-Harvard Study: The Future of Nuclear Power

• Nuclear energy “is an important carbon-free source of power.”

• Tripling world nuclear capacity by 2050 would avoid 25% of added carbon emissions from coal plants.

• The U.S. should provide a production tax credit for nuclear equal to the current credit for wind power.

Columbia Univ. Earth Institute: More Nuclear, Renewables

Columbia Univ. Earth Institute: More Nuclear, Renewables

State of the Planet 2004 conference recommends “some combination of renewable and nuclear energy, energy conservation and industrial carbon sequestration” for the future.

Vision 2020Vision 202050,000 megawatts of new nuclear energy by 2020

Emission-Free Electric Generation With Vision 2020

Emission-Free Electric Generation With Vision 2020

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

2003 2020

Bill

ion

Kilo

wat

t-h

ou

rs

Enhanced Nuclear

New Nuclear Capability

Existing Nuclear Capability

Hydro & Renewables

Coal, Gas, Oil

29% non-emitting

33% non-emitting

The 7 Lab Initiative: overarching recommendation

The 7 Lab Initiative: overarching recommendation

• Deploy new commercial reactors as planned, but also develop and deploy advanced:

• Reactor technology• Fuel separation and recycle

technology• Proliferation prevention and

detection technologies

Argonne National Laboratory

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

OAK RIDGE

NATIONAL LABORATORY