“Buy the best and only cry once”

March 14, 2024, 9:30AMNuclear NewsCraig Piercy

Craig Piercy
cpiercy@ans.org

Spoiler alert: America has one more nuclear reactor on line.

It’s been a long, hard slog for the Vogtle reactor expansion project, and the news coverage has been tough. I would describe it as the “standard media fare” of late—a steady flow of click-inducing “breaking news” alerts on cost overruns and schedule delays. Sure, it’s all fair game in a world with press freedom, but I had hoped for more substance along with the “horse race” reporting from our Fourth Estate.

Nuclear is hard—but it’s not just nuclear. In the United States, big groundbreaking projects of all sorts veer over budget and behind schedule frequently these days, resulting in unpleasant headlines along the way. Then, when they are up and running, these facilities tend to fall out of the public spotlight, and we all start taking them for granted. But this narrative arc hides a larger truth. When Vogtle Unit 4 joins Unit 3 in commercial operation later this year, the two units together are tipped to churn out over 17 million megawatt-hours of steady 24/7 power on an annual basis. That’s more energy per year than all the windmills in California—enough to feed one million homes and businesses. It will do this for the next 60, 80, maybe even 100 years. Talk about a buried lede!

To continue reading, log in or create a free account!

Related Articles

New meeting, better story

November 4, 2024, 9:31AMNuclear News

As you may have heard, the American Nuclear Society recently entered into a 50/50 joint venture with the Nuclear Energy Institute to host an annual industrywide meeting in late summer, which...

Setting the nuclear theme

October 17, 2024, 7:01AMNuclear News

Twice a year, the ANS president and I work with the general chair of our next national meeting to set the theme of the event.It’s no easy process. Sure, one can be anodyne, picking anything...

Industry Update—October 2024

October 8, 2024, 7:01AMNuclear News

Here is a recap of industry happenings from the recent past:ADVANCED REACTOR MARKETPLACE Collaboration on SMR-powered shipsThe American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the Korea Ship &...

Finding the courage to dance

September 9, 2024, 7:00AMNuclear News

I recently attended the 2024 Utility Working Conference where, despite the widespread travel disruptions created by Tropical Storm Debby, nearly 600 folks from the U.S. nuclear utility and...

Removing the training wheels

August 22, 2024, 11:53AMNuclear News

Duck, N.C.—A summer beach vacation with the extended family: There’s nothing else quite like it, reliving old memories and developing a greater appreciation for how others felt about them...