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Exposure Of Future Nuclear Energy Infrastructure To Climate Change Hazards: A Review Assessment, Joana Portugal-Pereira, Miguel Esteban, Kathleen Araújo

Public Policy and Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This review discusses climate hazards and specific risks associated with existing and new nuclear power plants under global warming level futures, with an emphasis on water-based risks for plants that rely on traditional water-cooling processes. Projected hazards, including extreme heatwaves, sea-level rise, and altered precipitation patterns pose significant challenges to the safe and efficient operation of nuclear plants. Additional risks include reduced water-cooling system efficiency, clogging due to biological contamination of water streams, water access issues in reactors during droughts, disruptions from extreme storms, and coastal sea level rise. These findings emphasise the importance of formulating appropriate adaptation strategies that …

Impact Of Nuclear Energy On The Environment, Faiq Faishal, Palupi Lindiasari Samputra

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The purpose of this research is to see what impact nuclear energy has on the environment. The method used is synthesis analysis with a systematic literature review of the data obtained through Google Scholar. This research then makes a review or conclusion based on 20 previous studies that discuss the impact of nuclear energy on the environment. The results showed that nuclear energy had a negative impact on the environment, especially the Chernobyl and Fukushima tragedies. 70% of previous studies explained that nuclear energy has a negative impact on the environment, mainly due to the risk of accidents and the …

Nuclear Power: Extremely Dangerous, Perfectly Safe, Or Somewhere In Between?, Jackson Still

Quest

Multiple Genre Argument

Research in progress for ENGL 1301: Composition I

Faculty Mentor: W. Scott Cheney, Ph.D.

Standard research papers and five-paragraph essays can train students to blend quotations and organize paragraphs, but advanced writing in the disciplines and the workplace requires much more robust and nuanced thinking. To this end, the Multiple Genre Argument (MGA) pushes students into new writing situations where they create fictional genres to supplement traditional research—a challenging and often confusing task. Learning new skills requires becoming more comfortable with encountering this kind of difficulty and uncertainty. In their book Writing Analytically, David Rosenwasser and Jill …

Radioactive, Internal Colonialism: The Uranium Industry’S Historic And Current Impact On The Navajo Nation, Sophie Arens

Pitzer Senior Theses

The United States withheld information pertaining to the health problems associated with nuclear power, allowing uranium to be extracted, processed, and stored in the Southwest of the United States and more specifically the Navajo Nation. With this, many Diné people who had previously worked in the mines or lived within close vicinity to facilities developed various types of illnesses. This thesis argues that the development of nuclear energy in the United States is a form of radioactive, internal colonialism and that the current waste facility located in Carlsbad, New Mexico is furthering this history into the present day. This thesis …

Ready For Nuclear Energy?: A Policy Review Of The Philippines’ Nuclear Energy Plan And Participation In The Asean Network Of Regulatory Bodies On Atomic Energy, Julius Cesar Trajano

International Journal of Nuclear Security

Recently, the Philippines has been demonstrating its interest in using nuclear energy, including addressing issues and gaps in its nuclear energy preparations, several of which fall under nuclear security, nuclear emergency preparedness and response, and regulatory capacity. This article argues that the ASEAN member states’ growing regional cooperation in nuclear safety and security, spearheaded by the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM), can have a strong positive impact on the Philippines’ nuclear energy preparations. ASEANTOM’s regional activities and projects can help the Philippines address some of the current critical gaps and issues in its nuclear energy preparatory …

Topical Analysis Of Nuclear Experts' Perceptions Of Publics, Nuclear Energy, And Sustainable Futures, Hannah K. Patenaude, Emma Frances Bloomfield

Communication Studies Faculty Publications

Nuclear energy experts consider commercial power from fission to be a strong contender to help mitigate the increasing effects of climate change, in part due to its low-to-no carbon emissions. Nevertheless, nuclear energy’s history, including meltdowns such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, and dumping in sacred Indigenous land such as Yucca Mountain, raises important concerns in public deliberation over nuclear power. These communicative dynamics are crucial to study because they inform larger conversations in communication scholarship about the role of experts in scientific controversies and the complicated nature of public trust in and engagement with science. Thus, this …

Diversifying Nuclear Technology: A Technical Analysis On Small Modular Reactors And Its Impact On Nuclear Energy Policy, Carolina Lugo Mejia, Marcos Lugo

Helm's School of Government Conference - American Revival: Citizenship & Virtue

The energy policy debate in the United States has revolved around the diversification of energy sources while promoting advantageous economic profits. One drive for this has been the discussion of anthropogenic, environmental endangerment concerns (Vlassopoulous 2011, 104). However, despite the environmental concerns, the U.S. has for some time only relied on one type of energy source—fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are categorized as natural gas, coal, petroleum, and other gases responsible (U.S. Energy Administration 2019). Natural gas is responsible for 38.4%, coal for 23.4%, petroleum for 0.4%, and other gases for 0.3% of the U.S.’s electrical generation (U.S. Energy Administration 2019). …

Evaluating Nuclear Energy As A Component Of U.S. Energy Innovation Systems, Bryce Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nuclear energy is contentious in policy discussions that evaluate its role in the current U.S. clean energy innovation system. OECD nations, on average, have begun to reduce their dependence on nuclear energy. However, the United States has remained invested in its nuclear energy infrastructure and the role that it plays within federal research and development. This thesis examines the Neo-Schumpeterian perspective and the National Innovation System’s approach, the economic history of nuclear energy in the United States, and given insight from these factors, discusses the current role of nuclear energy in the U.S. energy innovation system. The objective is to …

The Developmental State And Public Participation: The Case Of Energy Policymaking In Post-Fukushima Japan, Hiro Saito

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the Japanese government tried to democratize energy policy-making by introducing public participation. Over the course of its implementation, however, public participation came to be subordinated to expert committees as the primary mechanism of policy rationalization. The expert committees not only neutralized the results of public participation but also discounted the necessity of public participation itself. This trajectory of public participation, from its historic introduction to eventual collapse, can be fully explained only in reference to complex interactions between the macroinstitutions and microsituations of Japanese policy-making at the time of the nuclear disaster: the macroinstitutional …

The Political Economy Of Nuclear Energy: Why There Is Not Broad Public Support For Nuclear Policy & Why There Should Be, Willa Grace Mei Lee

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

In this paper, I examine how the nuclear incidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima impacted public support for nuclear energy in the United States. Particularly, I look at the ways the media has influenced public perception, and thus, nuclear policy. I also consider the economic arguments for and against using nuclear power and highlight the effects of decommissioning nuclear fleets as was seen in the aftermath of the major nuclear incidents. Lastly, I discuss how the public can become better informed on nuclear energy.

Ultimately, the three major nuclear incidents spurred anti-nuclear sentiment, which shut down nuclear plants, …

Economic Viability Of Light Water Small Modular Nuclear Reactors: General Methodology And Vendor Data, Geoffrey A. Black, Fatih Aydogan, Cassandra L. Koerner

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasing global energy demand coupled with the need to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gases make investments in new carbon-free energy technologies more important than ever. One promising new technology is light water small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). Their relatively small size, modular design, reduced construction times, enhanced safety and other features make them a potentially attractive energy source. A critical element in assessing their potential for future development, however, is their economic viability relative to other energy sources. The most common metric to assess a power system’s economic viability is the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). The LCOE method …

An Analysis Of United States Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Policy And The Public Participation Process, Alexis Stabulas

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

As the number of nuclear power plants slated for decommissioning increases, reflecting on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) decommissioning regulations in relation to public participation becomes increasingly important. When plants close, communities lose security in economics, employment, and environmental and human health. The NRC’s regulations on public involvement are very limited and generally stakeholders do not feel supported in the decommissioning process. Local and tribal governments, citizen groups, the general public, and those directly affected have all found the NRC’s public involvement inadequate, ineffective, and infrequent. The case studies of two completely decommissioned plants, Maine Yankee and Big Rock …

New York State's Zero Emission Credits: Exploring The Drivers And Significance Of Nuclear Energy Subsidization In The Empire State, Michael R. Sciascia

Honors Theses

This thesis reviews New York State's recently announced subsidization of nuclear energy, which has been a subject of dissent due to its cost, propagation of nuclear activity, and potential unlawfulness in its influence on competition within wholesale energy markets. Examining the structure and recent trends within New York's energy market and their effect on the state's nuclear energy industry will provide insight into the necessity of such subsidization in preserving in-state nuclear generation. Through an analysis of the expected costs, economic impact, and influence on statewide carbon emissions, the true significance of this legislation and New York's motivations behind its …

Could Iran Be Just The Start?, Erika Simpson

Erika Simpson

No abstract provided.

Could Iran Be Just The Start?, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

No abstract provided.

Compensating The Victims Of Japan’S 3-11 Fukushima Disaster, Eric A. Feldman

All Faculty Scholarship

Japan’s March 2011 triple disaster—first a large earthquake, followed by a massive tsunami and a nuclear meltdown—caused a devastating loss of life, damaged and destroyed property, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, hurt, and in need. This article looks at the effort to address the financial needs of the victims of the 3/11 disaster by examining the role of public and private actors in providing compensation, describing the types of groups and individuals for whom compensation is available, and analyzing the range of institutions through which compensation has been allocated. The story is in some ways cause for …

Does Thorium Have A Place In The Future U.S. Electricity Mix?, Danny West

Master's Projects and Capstones

Thorium is an alternative fuel source for nuclear energy. Coupled with its use in a new reactor design, called a Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor, the two have the ability to disrupt the nuclear industry and power sector. Nuclear energy is a clean and reliable source of energy; however, it generates hazardous waste that must be stored away for hundreds of thousands of years and power plants are at risk of a catastrophic incident that can lead to a wide scale release of radiation. These drawbacks to nuclear energy can be mitigated using thorium in a Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor. These …

Explaining Nuclear Energy Pursuance: A Comparison Of The United States, Germany, And Japan, Lauren Emily Mckee

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Energy is critical to the functioning of the global economy and seriously impacts global security as well. What factors influence the extent to which countries will pursue nuclear energy in their overall mix of energy approaches? This dissertation explores this critical question by analyzing the nuclear energy policies of the United States, Germany and Japan. Rather than citizen opposition or proximity to nuclear disasters, it seems that a country's access to other resources through natural endowments or trading relationships offers the best explanation for nuclear energy pursuance.

A New Day For Nuclear: The Impact Of Nuclear Energy And Its Effects, Hannah G. Hilliard

Senior Honors Theses

Energy is a resource on which civil society is built. It affects every aspect of life and is vital to the survival of the modern world. This paper explores nuclear power and the effects it has on a national and global scale. The research looks at both the positive and negative aspects of nuclear energy, giving weight to both sides of the argument to present a detailed look at this resource. The research is compiled from a wide range of authors from scientists and nuclear experts to reporters and strategic intelligence agents. A proposed technology for the advancement of nuclear …

Enclave Under Siege: International Norms And Challenges To The Indian Nuclear Complex, Karthika Sasikumar

Faculty Publications

This article analyzes the effects of international connections on India’s nuclear program; specifically, the use of international norms and resources by domestic actors to influence the Indian nuclear enclave. These actors are from the Indian executive (pressure from above) as well as civil society (pressure from below). India’s self-presentation as a responsible state necessitates compliance with international norms, and concomitant restraints on the nuclear estate from ‘above.’ Environmentalists, local residents, and their transnational allies seek to make the nuclear complex more accountable, responsive, and transparent by using social media, civil society institutions, and cross-border links. The Indian case suggests that …

Resource Use Under Climate Stabilization: Can Nuclear Power Provide Clean Energy?, Ujjayant N. Chakravorty, Bertrand Magne, Michel Moreaux

Ujjayant Chakravorty

The long-term goal of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the stabilization of carbon concentration in the atmosphere. In this paper, we impose a carbon target concentration on a partial equilibrium model of the global energy sector. Specifically, we ask whether nuclear power can provide carbon-free energy as fossil fuel resources become costly due to scarcity and externality costs. We find that nuclear power can reduce the cost of generating clean energy significantly and relatively quickly. However, beyond a few decades the role of nuclear power may be considerably reduced as uranium becomes scarce and renewables become economical. …

Environmental Worldview And Faith In Science As Moderators Of The Relationship Between Beliefs About And Attitudes Toward Nuclear Energy, Adam D. Carton

Psychology Theses

Global climate change (GCC) may be the most pressing social and environmental issue of our time. The use of fossil fuels tops the list of human behaviors that contribute to GCC. Several ‘alternative’ energy sources are now being considered in an effort to mitigate GCC, including—controversially—nuclear energy. Examined here were environmental worldview and faith in science as moderators of the relationship between beliefs about and attitudes toward nuclear energy (ATNE). Participants were 272 college students who completed an on-line survey. Predictor variables were beliefs about whether nuclear energy contributes to GCC (GCC-beliefs) and to energy independence (EI-beliefs). Results indicated that …

Slides: The Peril Of Energy Usage, Mike Tupper

The Promise and Peril of Oil Shale Development (February 5)

Presenter: Mike Tupper, Executive Vice President, Composite Technology Development, Inc.

9 slides

Slides: The Elusive Bonanza, Randy Udall

The Promise and Peril of Oil Shale Development (February 5)

Presenter: Randy Udall, Co-founder, Association for the Study of Peak Oil-USA

62 slides

Nuclear Vs. Coal In Bulgaria, Peter B. Manchev

Honors Theses

In early 2005 the government of Bulgaria commissioned the construction of a new nuclear power plant (NPP) near the town of Belene on the Danube border with Romania. The € 4 billion project will be executed by a consortium appointed in October 2006 by the National Electric Company led by the Russian Atomstroyexport. The work will be overseen by the architect-engineer of the plant, the American company WorleyParsons. The endeavor received a “green light” in December 2006 when the Nuclear Regulatory Agency of Bulgaria approved the Belene site for the construction of a new nuclear power plant.

The need for …

Uncertainty, Climate Change And Nuclear Power, David M. Hassenzahl

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Publications

Long time-horizon environmental risks with potential for global impacts have increased in visibility over the past several decades. Such issues as climate change, the nuclear fuel cycle, persistent synthetic chemicals, and stratospheric ozone depletion share some characteristics, including intergenerational impacts, strongly decoupled incidence of risks and benefits, substantial decision stakes and extreme uncertainty. What is not well understood are the similarities and differences among sources and implications of uncertainty among these global environmental threats, especially those associate with current and future human behavior. This describes the uncertainties associated with managing two global concerns: the nuclear (fission) fuel cycle and anthropogenic …

Restructuring Of The Electric Utility Industry: Free Markets And Environmental Protection, Rick Gilliam

Dams: Water and Power in the New West (Summer Conference, June 2-4)

12 pages.

Contains 1 page of references.

An Analysis Of The U.S.-China Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement, Benjamin Chiu

Maryland Series in Contemporary Asian Studies

No abstract provided.

The Atomic Bomb, Atomic Scientists Of Chicago

PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements

No abstract provided.

The United Nations And The Bomb: A Radio Discussion, Thomas Knight Finletter

PRISM: Political & Rights Issues & Social Movements

No abstract provided.