The last time I discussed nuclear power, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission had just approved the construction of the country’s first fourth-generation nuclear reactor.
This is a very positive step in providing reliable energy to Americans that is also cost-effective.
I am happy to report that it appears the nation is beginning to recover from nuclear-phobia, which was brought on in large part by how the media portrayed the incident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.
As a reminder, in 1979, the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant’s cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the #2 reactor, which was destroyed. A couple of days after the accident, some radioactive gas was released, but not enough to cause any dose above background levels to local residents.
However, government miscommunication and media dramatics tainted the public perception of the safety of nuclear power.
“Garbled communications reported by the media generated a debate over evacuation. Whether or not there were evacuation plans soon became academic. What happened on Friday was not a planned evacuation but a weekend exodus based not on what was actually happening at Three Mile Island but on what government officials and the media imagined might happen. On Friday confused communications created the politics of fear.
The fear was enhanced by the release of the movie, “The China Syndrome“.
Now the TMI will restart operations in a deal to sell power to Microsoft as part of its goal rely on “carbon-free technology“.
The firm announced the 20-year deal would involve the restart of the Unit 1 reactor, “which operated at industry-leading levels of safety and reliability for decades before being shut down for economic reasons exactly five years ago today.”Microsoft will buy energy from the plant as part of its goal to help match the power its data centers use with carbon-free technology, according to a news release announcing the deal. The reactor is expected to be online in 2028, pending approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.An economic impact study commissioned by the Pennsylvania Building & Construction Trades Council found that reopening the plant will create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs, according to the news release. It would also add up to 837 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the power grid that can power more than 800,000 average homes.
Specifically, Microsoft’s energy purchase will power the company’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center. The increased use of nuclear power is likely to be a trend, as AI uses a lot of energy.
For years, data centers displayed a remarkably stable appetite for power, even as their workloads mounted. Now, as the pace of efficiency gains in electricity use slows and the AI revolution gathers steam, Goldman Sachs Research estimates that data center power demand will grow 160% by 2030.At present, data centers worldwide consume 1-2% of overall power, but this percentage will likely rise to 3-4% by the end of the decade. In the US and Europe, this increased demand will help drive the kind of electricity growth that hasn’t been seen in a generation. Along the way, the carbon dioxide emissions of data centers may more than double between 2022 and 2030.
As I have noted before, There are two sources of energy that can cost-effectively power modern civilization: nuclear and fossil fuels. Firms that want “carbon-free” are going to have to embrace the power of isotopes.
It is interesting to note that most American adults support expanding nuclear power in the country, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. The polling indicates that 56% favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity.
In conclusion, it has taken the country four decades to recover from the media’s terrorizing the public about a nuclear plant disaster. I fear the country will take just as long to recover from press-induced climate fear.
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