EIA Releases Report, APS Adopts Statement on Nuclear Energy

On December 9, the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report on future international nuclear energy capacity. The report, entitled “World Nuclear Capacity and Fuel Cycle Requirements 1993,” projects an increase in worldwide nuclear energy capacity to between 351 and 427 gigawatts by the year 2010. This represents an average annual increase of 0.4 to 1.5 percent.

The report states that the U.S. currently has the greatest nuclear capacity with 99 gigawatts - 23 percent of the world total - and had discharged 26,000 metric tons of spent fuel by the end of 1992. However, EIA does not expect the U.S. capacity to increase significantly in the next decade, and projects the greatest increase in nuclear power plants to occur in the Far East. Copies of the EIA report can be obtained from the National Energy Information Center at (202) 586-8800.

In other news relating to nuclear energy, in November the APS Council adopted the following statement regarding research into nuclear energy:

“The American Physical Society has a long-standing interest in the establishment of a technically sound national energy policy. Such a policy must include steps to decrease the heavy dependence of the United States on fossil fuels. Their use entails significant environmental costs, including possibly substantial changes in global climate with uncertain consequences for human well being. Moreover, since resources of oil and, less immediately, natural gas are limited, U.S. reliance on foreign sources creates economic burdens and military dangers. We therefore endorse increases in federal funding and general support for programs in conservation and in the development of renewable energy sources.

“A balanced energy policy, however, also requires that the Department of Energy have strong programs to keep the nuclear energy option open, through: (a) the continued development of nuclear reactors which can be built, operated, and eventually decommissioned in a manner which is simple, safe, environmentally sound, and cost-effective; (b) the development and implementation of programs for the safe disposal of spent fuel and radioactive wastes; and (c) the development of an effective public education program to allow a more informed debate on the strengths and weaknesses of nuclear power. The American Physical Society is deeply concerned that the current progress in these areas is inadequate.”

DOE’s Nuclear Energy program has seen its budget cut from $341,854,000 in fiscal year 1993 to $341,364,000 in 1994. For more information on the APS statement, contact David Bodansky at (206) 543-2996, or Robert Park at (202) 662-8700.