Current and future state of the US nuclear energy industry

The American renaissance in nuclear energy - in part brought about by liber alization, competition and consolidation - is a good example of what can ha ppen when a dedicated industry embraces change. Liberalization of the Ameri can electricity market underscores the economic and strategic value of nucl ear energy. It has also helped bring to light how very competitive nuclear energy is compared with other forms of generation. As evidenced by the exci ting trend toward license renewal, corporate leaders view nuclear power pla nts as valuable economic assets. Moreover, the strong public, policymaker a nd regulator support for license renewal is a strong indication that - to d ate - adding the functional equivalent of at least 25 new nuclear plants is viewed as an, energy and environmental imperative and we expect more plant s to follow in the near future. Concern over greenhouse gas emissions and a ir pollution underscore nuclear energy's strategic value as a baseload capa ble, emission-free generation source. As these concerns grow in parallel wi th increased energy demand, nuclear energy will increasingly be valued as a national asset by the public and policymakers alike. Moreover, when moneti zed, nuclear energy's emission free-nature will lower substantially its alr eady competitive generation cost.