The Role of Nuclear in a Sustainable Energy Future

A future with sustainable energy future must include nuclear in the mix. By Kannan Arunachalam

According to global projections, electricity demand is expected to accelerate up to the year 2050. Satisfying this demand in a sustainable manner will require countries to consider all available energy options, including nuclear energy. The question of how significant nuclear energy’s role will be in fulfilling this demand was in focus at the presentation of the World Nuclear Performance Report 2018 Asia Edition on Oct 31.

At the session, representatives of the World Nuclear Association (WNA) highlighted the benefits of using nuclear energy. For one, Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) have increased their capacity factors over the years, becoming more efficient power generation systems. There was also no obvious performance-related decline in the performance of NPPs. Simply put, older reactors were performing just as well, or even better in some cases, than the newer ones.

Furthermore, construction times for nuclear power plants have generally halved from the end of the 1990s till today, and can be as short as 60 months. Ms Agneta Rising, WNA Director General, pointed out that delays in NPP projects are mainly caused by decision-making, and not construction. Nuclear energy is also generally more cost-competitive compared to other power generation options.

On the issue of waste, Ms Rising said that nuclear generates minimal waste compared to other options, and that this waste is well-contained. In countries like Finland, deep geological waste repositories are being developed for long-term storage of nuclear waste.

A growing energy option

Developing countries such as Bangladesh, and countries with relatively smaller populations, like Sweden, have adopted nuclear energy. Meanwhile, Japan intends to bring back the majority of its nuclear reactors online, with the aim of generating 22% of its electricity from nuclear energy by 2030.

In Asia, China is driving nuclear energy growth, having taken over the reins from Japan and South Korea. As of September 2018, China’s 45 operating reactors contributed about 10% of global nuclear power capacity.

However, there are key challenges that need to be tackled before nuclear becomes a viable energy source for many countries. In terms of costs, capital expenditure of nuclear projects can be reduced by using standard designs for manufacturing reactors, conducting proper project management to avoid delays, and cheaper financing.

Ms Rising noted that development banks should be more pro-active in supporting NPP projects. She noted that the World Bank has financed upstream oil and gas projects, but not NPP ones. Regulatory processes also need to be harmonised to ensure a consistent and efficient nuclear licensing regime. This will facilitate the deployment of newer technologies, such as floating NPPs.

While nuclear energy will definitely have a role to play in the energy future, whether it is a significant one depends largely on the ability of industry players and governments to overcome these challenges; the successful development of newer and safer technologies; and changing common misconceptions held by the public and policymakers regarding this clean energy source.