NEI: Nuclear energy a key player in Paris climate-change conference

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) issued a report on Tuesday on the crucial role of nuclear energy during the climate-change conference (COP21) in Paris, which begins on Monday.

The goal of the conference is to reach an international agreement on actions to eliminate climate change.

Currently, nuclear facilities in the U.S. produce approximately 63 percent of the nation's low and non-carbon-emitting electricity. The NEI said that globally, nuclear energy accounts for approximately one-third of carbon-free power generation.

“Nuclear energy can produce a steady supply of baseload electricity with no greenhouse gas emissions, thereby allowing the world to meet increased electricity demand, achieve economic-development goals and carbon reductions,” NEI President and CEO Marvin Fertel  said. “It’s a positive sign that more than 200 reactors are under construction or in licensing and advanced planning stages worldwide.”

The institute also cited a recently released White House fact sheet that indicated the Obama administration's support for nuclear energy. The fact sheet said maintaining current reactors and developing new technology in nuclear generation are an important part of proposed clean-energy strategies.
 
“Keeping existing nuclear plants operating and building new reactors are indispensable components to meeting the targets set at the COP21 conference,” Fertel said