Nuclear Is Back: Deregulation Powers Nuclear Industry Renaissance

ATLANTA, GA - -- Policymakers and political leaders, now dealing with deregulation, higher prices for fossil fuels, and global warming, are becoming reacquainted with the virtues of nuclear energy.

And nuclear power advocates are finding themselves in a position to benefit from the problems slamming other parts of the energy industry.

As reported in the August issue of Energy Competition Strategy Report (ECSR), published by Atlanta-based NHI Publications, energy experts say a definite revival of interest in nuclear power can be seen on the horizon. According to experts interviewed in the report, nuclear is enjoying a higher profile among the country's policymakers -- and among power company executives -- for several reasons:

-- Improvements in performance and capacity, along with reductions in operating and maintenance costs, have made nuclear one of the lowest cost electricity sources in deregulated wholesale markets.

-- Nuclear's forward price stability exceeds that of any other electricity source, making it highly attractive in a market that's been hammered by high price volatility.

-- Nuclear power plants are the nation's largest source of emission-free generation, a fact becoming more important under the Clean Air Act.

Several energy companies featured in the report reveal the growing importance being on nuclear, which is accounting for an increasing percentage of total generation.

Other highlights of August's Energy Competition Strategy Report include:

-- Can technology help resolve the power crisis? The Electric Power Research Institute recommends a number of actions to help address immediate issues posed by the California power crisis, while also providing technology solutions that would ultimately create a power delivery system capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century.

-- In a revealing look at Pennsylvania's deregulation, ECSR reports on the results from The Keystone Research Center's study, "Pennsylvania Utilities in Crisis."