ANS Releases Nuclear in the States Toolkit

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) introduced the Nuclear in the States Toolkit, Version 1.0 (PDF File) at a media event in Washington, D.C.

The toolkit catalogs policies related to new and existing nuclear reactors for state policymakers to consider as they draft their Clean Power Plan compliance strategies. It was developed by the ANS Special Committee on Nuclear in the States to catalog the myriad policy options available at the state-level to support new and existing nuclear energy facilities.  Read more about the Nuclear in the States policy issue here

“This report is intended to prompt discussion about nuclear as a reliable clean-energy source. The intent of this report is to serve as a menu of policy options for state policymakers to consider as they move ahead on their clean energy compliance plans,” said ANS President Eugene S. Grecheck.

Edward Kee, President of Nuclear Economics Consulting Group and who serves on the committee said, “This toolkit will help state administrations understand the clean air contribution existing nuclear facilities are making to the environment by reducing carbon pollution. Any premature reactor closure has immediate negative environmental effects on states and their surrounding regions, since most are replaced by fossil fuels.”

Among the subjects covered in the toolkit are electricity capacity markets, governmental support, public hearings, and tax policies. There are also policy- and market-based tools included with comments and examples provided for each tool. By developing this guide ANS hopes to prevent further nuclear plant closures and promote new plant builds.

Nuclear energy provides nearly two-thirds of the nation’s clean energy, with 99 reactors that are currently operating in 30 states. One new reactor is expected to come on line in 2016, and four more are under construction in the U.S.

Retiring operating nuclear power plants has a variety of negative effects that includes increased carbon emissions from electricity provided by fossil fuels, hundreds of lost skilled jobs per plant, and the surrounding community deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars per year in economic benefits.

For more information on the Nuclear in the States Toolkit, email nucleartoolkit@ans.org 

Third Way Names Dr. Todd Allen, Former Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology at the Idaho National Laboratory, Senior Visiting Fellow

Third Way today named Dr. Todd Allen, former deputy laboratory director for science and technology of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), as a senior visiting fellow. He will provide technical support to Third Way’s efforts to pursue public-private consensus on solutions for the future deployment of advanced nuclear technology.

“Dr. Todd Allen’s visiting fellowship is an important component to a national collaboration that is taking place to incentivize innovation, streamline the regulatory framework and policies, and to better define licensing requirements that will incentivize continued investment in advanced nuclear R&D,” said Matt Bennett, senior vice president for public affairs at Third Way.

During his visiting fellowship, Dr. Allen will provide technical support to ongoing efforts to improve the predictability and stability of government energy-related solutions, which offer private sector investors sufficient certainty to support early-stage nuclear technologies.

“With university and national laboratory experience and as part of INL’s efforts to collaborate with non-governmental organizations who support the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear and other advance nuclear projects, I look forward to collaborating with Third Way  to help improve nuclear innovation in the United States, both in the federal government and the private sector.” said Allen.

Third Way has been working closely with INL and other U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories over the past several years to propel the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors. In 2010, Third Way organized the New Millennium Energy Partnership to initiate the publication of “The Future of Nuclear Energy: A White Paper.”

Four working groups formed to help develop recommendations on public-private partnerships, financing of nuclear infrastructure and projects as well as new technology development and deployment.

The recent Advanced Nuclear Summit and Showcase represent progress on these ongoing efforts.

Dr. Allen began his professional career as a submarine officer in the U.S. Navy. He went on to earn a doctorate in nuclear engineering, focusing his studies on how radiation changes the physical properties of metals. Later, as a staff scientist with Argonne National Laboratory, he participated in the development of the Generation IV Roadmap, a document that helped stimulate the nuclear research programs in the early 21st century. In addition, Dr. Allen served as a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin.

At INL, Dr. Allen was an important contributor to the development of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative announced at the White House in November 2015. He led the transition of the lab’s Advanced Test Reactor into a national user facility, creating a unique distributed network of national research facilities that work together to support novel research ideas brought by universities and private industry. Additionally, he managed the six-institution Energy Frontier Research Center, which focused on answering fundamental questions regarding heat transfer in nuclear fuel.

Media Contact: Jackie Priestly 202-349-9663 jpriestly@pcgpr.com

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