Nuclear Power – Technical and Institutional Options for the Future

Committee on Future Nuclear Power Development, Energy Engineering Board, National Research Council9780309043953, 0309043956

The construction of nuclear power plants in the United States is stopping, as regulators, reactor manufacturers, and operators sort out a host of technical and institutional problems. This volume summarizes the status of nuclear power, analyzes the obstacles to resumption of construction of nuclear plants, and describes and evaluates the technological alternatives for safer, more economical reactors. Topics covered include: institutional issues – including regulatory practices at the federal and state levels, the growing trends toward greater competition in the generation of electricity, and nuclear and non-nuclear generation options; and critical evaluation of advanced reactors – covering attributes such as cost, construction time, safety, development status, and fuel cycles. Finally, three alternative federal research and development programs are presented.