By Peter Cotell
Raleigh, NC – For years, finding a way to produce energy that is low in carbon-dioxide emissions and environmentally friendly, while also remaining affordable and efficient, has been one of the greatest challenges in the energy sector. In North Carolina, the state legislature passed HB 951 with the goal of reducing emissions 70% from levels recorded in 2005 by the year 2030. Producing clean energy has bipartisan support and many potential benefits for North Carolinians. So how do we accomplish this? Many energy experts believe the answer lies in a new nuclear energy technology known as SMRs — small modular reactors.
SMRs are smaller nuclear reactors that generate around one-third of the energy of a reactor at a traditional plant. Despite generating less power, there are many advantages to SMRs that larger reactors do not have. They can be assembled in a factory and transported to the operating location. This is much cheaper than traditional reactors, making plants with SMRs significantly less costly to construct. Their smaller size allows for more flexibility in the construction of plants, as they can be built in locations that would be unsuitable for a traditional power plant.
SMRs require less-frequent refueling than traditional nuclear plants, refueling every three to seven years rather than every one to two years. SMRs can also be scaled up or down to meet energy demands, with modules added or removed based on the needs of the population that it serves.
Duke Energy has announced that they plan to construct two SMR sites in North Carolina in the 2030s, one at the site of the existing Belews Creek Power Station and another at a site that has yet to be named. They have announced their plan to choose which company’s SMR technology they will use by 2025. These new plants would be the first sources of nuclear power constructed in North Carolina since the Harris Nuclear Plant was opened in 1987. The state’s population has grown by 70% since then, showing how long overdue our state is for new sources of nuclear energy.
Constructing these plants would benefit North Carolina in many ways. Nuclear power does not produce any air pollution, preventing the effects on the environment caused by carbon-dioxide emissions and the negative health effects associated with living near fossil-fuel plants, such as respiratory damage and cardiovascular diseases. These new plants would create high-paying jobs for workers, as nuclear plant workers are paid roughly 25-30% more than other careers in the energy sector.
The reliability of nuclear energy is crucial to maintaining power in North Carolina, as shown by the 2022 Christmas Eve rolling blackouts, where nuclear energy was the most consistent source of power when other plants were struggling due to demand caused by Winter Storm Elliot.
North Carolina needs reliable sources of cheap, efficient, and clean energy, and the best way to accomplish this is expanding our nuclear-power capabilities. Through the development of new power plants with small modular reactors, North Carolina can provide electricity to our growing cities and towns while reducing carbon dioxide emissions and keeping our air clean. These positives, combined with other benefits, such as the high-paying jobs that are added to the economy, make expanding our state’s nuclear energy sector through SMRs a must.
Peter Cotell is an intern with the John Locke Foundation. Originally from Winston-Salem, he is a rising senior at NC State University and is pursuing a BA in Political Science.