What are we afraid of? How do we overcome our fears to promote clean energy?

Patrick Pocockpatrickpocock@hotmail.com

NUCLEAR ENERGY

State of the Union Address

Since 2001, $10 Billion has been spent to develop cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy sources

Advanced Energy Initiative – 22% increase in clean-energy research Energy generation and

Transportation focus

With $10 Billion to spend - We’re Improving… Right?

Alternative to Fossil Fuel Burning Power Plants

Renewables Geothermal Hydroelectric Wind Solar

Nuclear Power

Renewable Fuel Sources

Renewable Energy

Pros Simply Put – Its

Renewable Zero Emissions “Cold” Energy No Exploration/

Extraction Costs No Fuel Costs Low Operation Costs

Cons Its Intermittent High Initial Investment Isolated from Populated

Areas High Transmission Costs

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power

Pros Baseline Energy Source Zero GHG Emissions Plentiful Fuel Sources

Locally Minimal Operating Costs

Cons High Initial Investment Radioactive Spent Fuel Long-Term Waste

Management Security to Inhibit

Weapons Proliferation Terrorism Public Fears

Advanced Energy Initiative

February 6, 2006 – Request for $250 Million to Launch Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) “a comprehensive strategy to enable the expansion of

emissions-free nuclear energy worldwide by demonstrating and deploying new technologies to recycle nuclear fuel, minimize waste, and improve our ability to keep nuclear technologies and materials out of the hands of terrorists “

Why Not Nuclear Power?

Safety Economics Waste Management Transportation of Nuclear Materials Radiation Security

Risk Assessment v. Risk Perception

“Why are we scared of Nuclear Energy, but not of a peanut butter sandwich”

Risk Assessment takes the objective view of a hazard

Risk Perception takes the subjective view of a hazard

General Rules of Risk Perception

Natural Risks are Less Scary Risks Imposed On Us Seem Worse Risks with an Obvious Benefit are Less

Daunting Risks Associated with Complex Technologies

and Catastrophes are Greater

Fear

Our Estimation of Risk Reflects: Notions of Fairness Desire to Control Our

Own Lives Emotional Truths

Economics

WNA Report – The New Economics of Nuclear Energy (December 2005) The Principal Conclusion:

In most industrialized countries, new nuclear power plants offer the most economical way to generate base-load electricity

Reasons for Conclusion: Decreases in construction costs, financing costs,

operating costs and waste and decommissioning costs

Waste Management

IAEA – Fundamental Principles of Radioactive Waste Management Protection of human health Protection of the environment Protection beyond national borders Protection of future generations Burdens on future generations National legal framework Control of radioactive waste generation Radioactive waste generation and management

interdependencies Safety of facilities

Transport of Nuclear Materials

Transport takes place in special casks Shields are steel or a combination of steel and

lead IAEA sets standards and tests casks

Protection is achieved by: Secure containment of radioactive contents Control of external radiation levels Prevention of criticality Prevention of damage caused by heat

Radiation

Natural sources account for most of the radiation we all receive each year

The nuclear fuel cycle does not give rise to significant radiation exposure for members of the public.

Radiation protection standards assume that any dose of radiation, no matter how small, involves a possible risk to human health

Security

Two Concerns Nuclear weapons proliferation Terrorism

Nuclear Weapons Proliferation

IAEA Safeguards Parties to the Non-

Proliferation Treaty have accepted the safeguards applied by the IAEA

Aim is to deter diversion by maximizing the risk of early detection Material Accountability Physical Security Containment and

Surveillance

Terrorism

Studies Conclude: U.S. reactor structures

are ‘robust and would protect the fuel from impacts of large commercial aircrafts’

Considering spent fuel storage tanks – No release of radionuclides to the environment

Robust Structures also prevent release when attacked from the inside

Safety

Safety has been a priority in design and engineering Chernobyl – Confirmed the Importance of safety

by design Three Mile Island – Proved the effectiveness of

safety measures Remains the only core melt in a reactor conforming to

NRC safety criteria “It should be emphasized that a commercial-type

power reactor simply cannot under any circumstances explode like a nuclear bomb”

Chernobyl Reactor #4

Safety (2)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Set-up by the United Nations in 1957

Auditor of World Nuclear Safety The IAEA acts as a global coordinator in nuclear

power safety helping to establish legal conventions fostering information exchange on safety issues developing common safety standards providing expert services in the field of nuclear safety

Safety (3)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Operational Safety Review Teams (OSARTs)

enhance the safety of nuclear power plants worldwide through technical reviews and exchanges of operational experience

Assessment of Safety Significant Events Teams (ASSET) review operational safety experience from the

standpoint of events that have occurred

Safety (4)

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Empowered to promulgate rules and regulations

governing the construction and operation of nuclear power plants

The NRC’s power is broad Required to insure adequate protection of public

health and safety from risks associated with nuclear plants

Issuance of licenses for operation

So What’s The Problem?

Nuclear Energy Regulatory Bodies Lack Exposure to the Public Anti-Nuclear Energy

groups have used elaborate media campaigns to “shock and awe” the public

Have you heard of the IAEA?

In a survey conducted in 18 countries, only 1 in 4 said that they had heard of the IAEA

Effectiveness of IAEA Inspections

Nearly half of respondents believe that IAEA inspections are effective

Risk of Nuclear Terrorist Acts

The majority of respondents believe that nuclear power plant security is insufficient to protect against terrorist acts

Views on Nuclear Security

The majority of respondents believe that there is a High Risk or nuclear terrorist acts

Support for Nuclear Power

Majority Supports Continued Use of Nuclear Energy

However, Majority Does not Support Building New Nuclear Plants

Support for Nuclear Power

The United States ranks second for supporting building new nuclear power plants

Pre- and Post-Climate Change Argument

Support for expanding nuclear power increased by more than 10% just by telling respondents that nuclear power could help combat climate change

Conclusion

An increase in public awareness would result in increased support for nuclear power