As a quick follow up to last week’s article, Matthew Wheeland writing for GreenBiz.com has documented the impact that Ceres’ shareholder proxy votes are having on publicly traded companies. Of the 233 sustainability-focused resolutions filed by Ceres almost half were withdrawn based on the company agreeing to address their concerns – Power to the Proxy.
On to the topic for this week. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved 2 new licenses for the construction of a pair of reactors at the Vogtle nuclear energy facility in Georgia. This is a watershed moment, regardless of what you think of nuclear power. The approved facilities will be built using a next generation in nuclear power plant design.
In this article in the Huffington Post Christine Todd Whitman, former Administrator of the EPA and former New Jersey governor in conjunction with Dr. Patrick Moore,a co-founder and former leader of Greenpeace provide a powerful argument for including nuclear power in our energy plans for the foreseeable future. Together they co-chair the industry-funded Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, a national grassroots coalition that promotes the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear expansion as part of a sustainable clean energy portfolio.
This, like so many other energy policy issues is so politicized that is very difficult to discuss, but discuss we must. Of note is the fact that a former leader of Greenpeace is a supporter of nuclear power. The importance of Dr. Moore’s and Ms. Whitman’s endorsement of nuclear power cannot be overstated. These are individuals who have spent their entire careers dealing with extremely complex environ-political issues.
The ideal energy solutions, when all factors are considered do not exist. There have to be trade-offs. As the authors point out, “More than 100 reactors in 31 states already produce more than 70 percent of all low-carbon electricity produced in the America”. In addition, the cost per kilowatt-hour is half that of natural gas, which is now extremely inexpensive.
Difficult decisions have to be made if we are going to become less reliant on foreign oil and reduce carbon emissions. It would be much simpler if we could produce all of the power that is needed from solar, wind and hydro-kinetic sources, but we can’t. There has to be a summation of the benefits and liabilities.
When two environmental experts choose to support a controversial decision like the NRC’s licensing of these new reactors it should cause us all to take notice and consider our positions.
