1. Nuclear power is a significant source of zero to low greenhouse gas energy
that should remain part of a diversified energy mix.
2. Nuclear is the only zero/low green
house gas energy source currently capable of providing the baseload (24/7) power required to meet a projected 35 to 40% increase in demand and/or the international goal of a 70% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.
3. If we’re concerned with greenhouse gas emissions, choosing not to build new nuclear capacity is giving up a sure thing in favor of a hopeful bet.
4. In comparing health effects and mortality rates, nuclear power is statistically safer than coal & natural gas.
5. The long radioactive half-life of nuclear waste is not a measure of its danger.
6. While it is true that nuclear waste is radioactive for 100,000 years, the risk decreases substantially in a tiny fraction of that time.
7. Waste disposal is the fundamental technological challenge ahead.
8. U.S. nuclear plants are unlikely targets for terrorist attacks given
the absence of highly enriched uranium.
9. With nuclear, subsidies are the rub.
10. Defuse the debate by knowing whether you’re talking domestic nuclear issues or international nuclear issues.
11. Building new nuclear plants is expensive, we just don’t know how expensive.
12. Transparency, transparency, transparency.
13. To maximize our ability to use nuclear energy intelligently
(likely with reprocessing) we need to address the challenging international proliferation picture.
