Written by: Kéa Anderson
Edited by: Sunny Bell
Nuclear energy has long been a topic of debate amongst climate and energy agencies—its virtues extolled, and its repercussions deliberated. Atomic energy is sourced from the process of nuclear fission. The splitting of atoms releases energy used to heat water, producing steam that spins a turbine, generating electricity. While this is a clean source of energy—the only byproduct being water vapor—nuclear plants emit ionizing radiation, a serious risk to humans and the environment in the case of a nuclear meltdown. Though only two such meltdowns have yet occurred, the events at Chernobyl and Fukushima, partial meltdowns across the United States have caused serious public concerns about the safety risks posed by nuclear energy.
Forty-nine years after the greatest commercial nuclear accident the United States has seen, the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear power plant is set to resume operations. In 1979, one of the two reactor vessels at Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station experienced a partial meltdown. Overnight, a pressure regulating valve became stuck open, releasing cooling water previously used to maintain a stable temperature of the nuclear reactor core. Without this temperature control, the core overheated, and radioactive material leaked outside the plant. Residents surrounding the plant were evacuated, and Three Mile Island was shut down. Unlike the mass-casualty events of the Chernobyl and Fukushima meltdowns, it was found that the amount of radiation released at Three Mile Island was negligible for human health concerns. Nevertheless, this event changed the course of nuclear energy production in the US, spiking concerns about this energy source (Elliott, 2024).
In September, Constellation Energy announced its plans to reopen the unaffected reactor at Three Mile Island. With the financial backing of Microsoft, Constellation intends to have the plant, renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center, up and running by 2028. After Constellation’s initial $1.6 Billion in startup costs, Microsoft has agreed to “buy all of the electricity the plant generates” for a minimum of 20 years after its opening (Elliott, 2024). Following this investment, similar votes of confidence from Google and Amazon fuel this new era of nuclear power in the United States. The question is whether the market economy and the general public will share this support.
Community opinions and concerns have been voiced following this announcement, with a fairly even split of nuclear energy skeptics and enthusiasts. The main apprehension surrounding the issue stems from safety and financial concerns. A poll of Pennsylvania residents found that 57% supported Three Mile Island’s reopening “as long as it does not include new taxes or increased electricity rates,” though many residents remain altogether opposed after the partial meltdown caused widespread panic over the safety of nuclear power plants (Plumer, 2024).
Meanwhile, experts worry that this declaration of support for nuclear power could be a turning point for the industry’s future. On top of the radiation concerns, nuclear energy has had a tumultuous economic past, repeatedly being thrown aside for cheaper, though less environmentally friendly, options. Not long after the unaffected reactor at Three Mile Island resumed operations, it was again shut down in 2019, unable to receive adequate funds and support when faced with the competitive demand for cheaper energy sources (Mandler, 2024). Now, with seemingly all of the financial backing necessary, another “false start” for the industry would indicate that no amount of money is sufficient to overcome the “technological and regulatory hurdles to expanding the use of fission” (Elliott, 2024). This could be nuclear’s final chance to regain the footing it needs to contend as a major energy producer.
Nuclear power is responsible for 19% of the electricity produced in the United States and 9% worldwide. It provides ¼ of the world’s total low-carbon electricity output and is its second largest electricity source (World Nuclear Association, 2024). The opening of the Crane Clean Energy Center would add 835 megawatts to the Pennsylvania grid—enough energy to power over 800,000 homes—simultaneously creating 3,400 jobs, directly and indirectly. Constellation claims that “restarting the plant will add $16 billion to the state’s GDP and generate more than $3 billion in state and federal taxes” (Constellation Energy, 2024). Should this project be successful, it holds great potential for the economic and energy-oriented future.
It is unlikely that there will be a mass consensus on nuclear energy in the near future—it being a new and relatively unexplored energy source. Weighing its costs and benefits, risks and rewards, there are a myriad of problems and solutions presented by this resource. However, one thing has been made clear through events such as Three Mile Island: nuclear energy is immensely more dangerous when reduced cost and increased profit are prioritized over elementary safety measures and protection guarantees. In a process as delicate as nuclear fission, no precautions can be overlooked.
With sufficient funds and an operation guarantee at the Crane Clean Energy Center, nuclear energy has been granted a redemption round. The costs and uncertainties have been laid out, but the rewards of nuclear success are all too clear: it is the largest producer of clean energy and the greatest alternative to fossil fuels that we have yet seen. In light of that, we are now faced with a final debate. What poses a greater threat: nuclear power or climate change? Moving forward, what risks are we willing to take?
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References:
Constellation Energy. (2024). Constellation to Launch Crane Clean Energy Center, Restoring Jobs and Carbon-Free Power to The Grid. Constellationenergy.com. https://www.constellationenergy.com/newsroom/2024/Constellation-to-Launch-Crane-Clean-Energy-Center-Restoring-Jobs-and-Carbon-Free-Power-to-The-Grid.html
Elliott, R. F., & Etheredge, G. (2024, October 30). Three Mile Island Is at the Center of Efforts to Expand Nuclear Capacity to Meet Rising Power Demand. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/30/business/energy-environment/three-mile-island-nuclear-energy.html
Mandler, C. (2024, September 20). Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/09/20/nx-s1-5120581/three-mile-island-nuclear-power-plant-microsoft-ai
Plumer, B. (2024, September 20). Three Mile Island Plans to Reopen as Demand for Nuclear Power Grows. Nytimes.com; The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/20/climate/three-mile-island-reopening.html
World Nuclear Association. (2024, November 4). Nuclear Power in the World Today - World Nuclear Association. World-Nuclear.org. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/nuclear-power-in-the-world-today
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