Because of the energy bill…
The nuclear energy industry supports the integration of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant into a nuclear development strategy.
One of the greatest advantages of these high temperature gas-cooled reactors is that they would be much more efficient than today’s nuclear or coal-fired power plants, converting the reactor’s heat to electricity at an efficiency rate of 48 percent, a 50% improvement over today’s power plants, nuclear or coal. That means this new reactor could get 50% more power from the same amount of heat and fuel. This means lower power costs for our customers.
In our present once-through nuclear fuel cycle, only about four percent of the uranium is actually burned. About 96 percent of the uranium in our used fuel of today is actually unburned and can be reclaimed.
High temperature gas cooled reactor technology, like fast reactors, can play an important role in developing recycling as a safe, reliable technology.
We believe America’s need for hydrogen from non-emitting sources can be integrated with our research and development needs of a recycling program that would close the nuclear fuel cycle in a safe, reliable and low cost manner that would be acceptable to the American people.
Source: Testimony of Dan R. Keuter; Vice President, Nuclear Business Development, Entergy Nuclear; June 12, 2006
EPACT 2005 establishes the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Project, sets the project timelines, and authorizes $1.25 billion for research and construction activities.