NEI says 2018 will be “watershed year” for U.S. Nuclear Industry

As the fate of nuclear plants across the country hang in the balance, and uncertainty mars the opening of new plants, the nuclear industry faces a “watershed year,” Nuclear Energy Institute’s John Kotek warned on Thursday in an address at a U.S. Energy Association forum.

Kotek, the vice president of policy development and public affairs and NEI, said that keeping existing nuclear plants in operation, and building new ones, would set the course for advanced nuclear reactors of the future.

“It is critical that we maintain a strong domestic nuclear sector; this begins by keeping our existing plants operating,” Kotek said, acknowledging steps by New York, Illinois, and Connecticut to preserve nuclear plants. “We’re encouraged by the states’ recognition of the need to keep nuclear plants open, whether for emissions reduction or energy diversity.”

Pointing to a recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decision, however, Kotek noted that nuclear energy’s contributions are not always appropriately valued. Earlier this month, FERC terminated the Department of Energy’s (DoE) proposed rulemaking to require “fuel secure” baseload electricity generators to be compensated for providing resiliency to the U.S. grid.

Kotek also highlighted the importance of a recent decision to move forward with the expansion of Plant Vogtle in Georgia in affirming the ability for new reactors to be built in the United States.

“We must demonstrate that we can build and complete new nuclear plants,” Kotek said.