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Does California Need New Nuclear Power Plants?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Theres been a lot of talk about nuclear power recently. Plant owners have been making plans to restart their retired nuclear power plants, Google signed the first corporate deal to purchase energy from small modular nuclear reactors, and the US pledged to triple its nuclear generating capacity by 2050.

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Why Data Centers and Nuclear Plants Can’t Just ‘Go It Alone’

Union of Concerned Scientists

The local utilitys website predicted that the power would be back on for the area by 4:30 that afternoon. This experience, not far from Seattle and with ties to the information tech industry, highlights some of the issues surrounding the electric power needs of data centers. He assured me he hadnt: it doesnt require electricity!

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Electric Grid Investment in the Public Interest

Union of Concerned Scientists

Electricity is necessary for reading this blog, phoning your family, and buying milk at the store. Most every modern public health, safety and security system we rely on also depends on the electric grid. To expand and modernize the nation’s electric infrastructure, the federal government recently announced new funding.

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Why I Don’t Buy Data Centers’ Claims They Can Leapfrog Over Utilities 

Union of Concerned Scientists

In the rush to integrate artificial intelligence into the economy, fast-moving information technology companies are running into a problem: slow-moving electric utilities. In more ways than one, the electricity supply so vital to running a data center simply doesnt respond the way Silicon Valley and big investors want.

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Five Things the “Nuclear Bros” Don’t Want You to Know About Small Modular Reactors

Union of Concerned Scientists

Even casual followers of energy and climate issues have probably heard about the alleged wonders of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). The failure of these projects to come in on time and under budget undermines arguments that modern nuclear power plants can overcome the problems that have plagued the nuclear industry in the past.

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Why smaller is better when it comes to nuclear power

Physics World

Mention “nuclear power” and attention almost immediately turns to safety. Despite huge advances in nuclear technology in recent decades, everyone still thinks about the accidents that occurred at older reactors like Chernobyl , Three Mile Island or Fukushima. Some have nuclear but are phasing it out.

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Ontario’s So-Called Affordable Energy Act Will Leave Ontarians in the Dark About Energy Decisions and Costs

Enviromental Defense

The government’s choice to enshrine in law a prioritization of nuclear power is also troubling. Worse still, the law strips energy planning of its focus on addressing climate change and greenhouse gas reductions and sidelines the critical role of energy conservation.