 |
|
|
|
|
| 11/21/2009 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
+ click to enlarge
|
Journal/Hope Nealson
Dave Nulton, a nuclear expert and consultant who worked with the Department of Energy for 36 years, addresses about 40 Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce members at Shiloh Steakhouse in Cortez Wednesday. |
|
Energy expert touts more nuclear power
Speakers addresses Cortez Area Chamber meeting
Hope Nealson
Journal Staff Writer
In an ever-expanding population that will require more and more power, Montezuma County can play a role in helping to produce energy - especially the nuclear kind.
That's according to nuclear expert and former senior manager for the U.S. Department of Energy, Dave Nulton, who addressed the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at Shiloh Steakhouse.
Nulton told the group of 40 that the 104 nuclear reactors throughout the nation satisfy about 20 percent of U.S. electrical needs, while coal fulfills half.
In 2006, 6.5 billion people used 14 trillion watts, or terawatts, of energy, he said. It will take all types of energy, including solar, wind, hydro and coal power, to satisfy the projected increase of demand for normal growth to 45 terawatts by the year 2050.
Nulton said to achieve that kind of power, 66 wind turbines would have to be built every day until 2050, or two nuclear reactors every three days.
"These numbers are extreme and really unachievable," he said. "If you could build 66 windmills per day or two nuclear reactors every three days, you still wouldn't get there without the help of other energies like coal, solar, etc."
Furthermore, Nulton said with atmospheric levels of carbon jumping from 228 ppm (parts per million) before the industrial revolution to 386 ppm today, using cleaner sources of energy like nuclear will help the world avoid approaching "catastrophic climate change by 2050."
Nulton said the Four Corners - and Cortez' role in general - would be to provide the uranium needed for nuclear power.
"This area served the uranium supply (for nuclear power in the U.S.) for a number of years - now we're second," he said. "If you look at the available uranium in this country, Wyoming has more and the Four Corners is second."
Nulton said worldwide, there is a lot more uranium in Canada and Australia.
"If we want to be energy independent, we don't have to rely on another country like we do for oil - we can produce it in our own country," he said.
With no harmful releases, essentially no carbon footprint, low operating costs and minimal land requirements, Nulton said nuclear power is also an option that helps dispose of nuclear weapons. Other countries already reprocess the old fuel in nuclear war heads.
China has the most reactors at 16. There are 440 operating reactors in 31 countries, satisfying approximately 15 percent of electrical needs. Thirteen countries have plans to build reactors and 50 are currently under construction, he said.
Nulton, currently a private consultant specializing in dismantling nuclear war heads, was responsible for domestic and international programs while working with the White House staff in his 36 years with the U.S. Department of Energy.
Nulton added the safety through new reactor designs has improved immensely since the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl reactor accidents. He said Empire Electric is looking at nuclear power, although building nuclear reactors - even on already approved sites - will take years and maybe a lifetime.
In addition, Tri-State, which runs Empire Electric, doesn't buy nuclear power currently, but they are looking at potential sites in Southeast Colorado, near Alamosa, Nulton said. Such a project would have a price tag of up to $10 billion, since it isn't on an approved site.
Empire Electric Manager Doug Sparks said Empire Electric supports nuclear power but it would definitely take a partner to help fund a potential project.
"We would never do it without economic certainty or without a partner," Sparks said.
Nulton said the real path forward would be to build reactors on any of the 50 sites already approved.
"These sites had maybe one reactor built on them but had room for two, so that's the way to bring nuclear power back," he said.
Reach Hope Nealson at hopen@cortezjournal.com.
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
|
|
|
