nuclear energy

Germany to Shut Down Its Last Remaining Nuclear Reactors

Germany to Shut Down Its Last Remaining Nuclear Reactors

Germany is set to shutter its last three nuclear plants on Saturday, in a phaseout initiated 20 years ago and sped up in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011.  The move comes as other countries — including the U.S. and the UK — have expressed renewed interest in nuclear as a […]

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    Nuclear Energy 101: What Exactly Are Small Modular Reactors?

    Nuclear Energy 101: What Exactly Are Small Modular Reactors?

    Roughly one-fifth of the electricity needed to power America comes from nuclear energy. Fewer than 100 reactors are licensed to operate across 30 U.S. states, with most located along the East Coast. Others are scattered across the Midwest, while a handful are sited in West Coast states. Some states, like Illinois, South Carolina and New […]

    An Introduction to the State of Wind Power in the U.S.

    An Introduction to the State of Wind Power in the U.S.

    By Philip Warburg Advances in technology, improved economics and broad political support are making wind power a formidable twenty-first century energy resource. Top-ranking Denmark draws 41 percent of its electricity from wind; Ireland follows with 28 percent; the European Union as a whole gets 14 percent of its power from wind. America’s wind farms currently […]

    Japan’s New Environmental Minister Calls for Closing Down All Nuclear Reactors to Prevent Another Disaster Like Fukushima

    Japan’s New Environmental Minister Calls for Closing Down All Nuclear Reactors to Prevent Another Disaster Like Fukushima

    By Jessica Corbett Japan’s new environmental minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, called Wednesday for permanently shutting down the nation’s nuclear reactors to prevent a repeat of the 2011 Fukushima disaster, comments that came just a day after Koizumi’s predecessor recommended dumping more than one million tons of radioactive wastewater from the power plant into the Pacific Ocean. […]

    Massive 7.4 Earthquake Hits Fukushima, Triggers Tsunami

    Massive 7.4 Earthquake Hits Fukushima, Triggers Tsunami

    In 2011, a powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck the Fukushima prefecture in Japan, leading to a nuclear disaster whose impacts are still being felt globally. Now, a massive 7.4 earthquake hit Fukushima around 6 a.m. local time, and tsunami warnings and advisories are in effect. It was first reported as a 7.3 earthquake but […]

    Plans to Build World’s Largest Nuclear Plant on Hold

    Plans to Build World’s Largest Nuclear Plant on Hold

    The British government astonished the nuclear industry late last night by refusing to go ahead with plans to build the world’s largest nuclear plant until it has reviewed every aspect of the project. The decision was announced hours after a bruising meeting of the board of the giant French energy company EDF, at which directors […]

    The Future of Nuclear Power Is ‘Challenging,’ Says WNA Report

    The Future of Nuclear Power Is ‘Challenging,’ Says WNA Report

    By Paul Brown The nuclear industry is celebrating breaking records that have stood for a quarter of a century—but a new update on its successes still fails to disperse the clouds over its future. The nuclear industry provides 10 percent of the world’s electricity, but its target is to supply 25 percent by 2050—requiring a […]

    San Onofre Is Dead and So Is Nuclear Power

    San Onofre Is Dead and So Is Nuclear Power

    Harvey Wasserman From his California beach house at San Clemente, Richard Nixon once watched three reactors rise at nearby San Onofre. As of today all three are permanently shut. It’s a monumental victory for grassroots activism. It marks an epic transition in how we get our energy. In the thick of the 1970s Arab oil […]