Why Nuclear Power?
People working in the field are optimistic about nuclear power because
- The energy produced per amount of material consumed is the highest available;
- Uranium-235 can produce 3.7 million times as much energy as the same amount of coal;
- Costs are competitive with coal, the major source used in the world;
- Uranium, the source material, is abundant;
- Plutonium, a by-product of commercial nuclear plant operation, can also be used as a fuel;
- Nuclear energy produces less waste than any major energy production process; and
- Nuclear power plants do not pollute our air by avoiding carbon dioxide emissions.
Why is Nuclear Power Good For Texas?
Currently, nuclear power provides 10 percent of all electricity used in Texas, and 20 percent nationally. With 12 million new Texas residents expected by 2030, electricity demand is expected to grow by 48 percent during the same period. New nuclear plants, along with other renewable energy generation such as wind and solar, will allow the Texas economy to grow and meet our citizens’ energy needs.
Plans for Expansion in Texas
In the next few years, eight new reactors will be built in Texas, among 31 planned across the nation. Two of those reactors will be at the South Texas Plant in Bay City and two more are anticipated at the Comanche Peak plant in Somervell County.
Workforce Needs
Each new plant will require as many as 450 skilled workers, with appropriate technical education and training. Two-thirds of the new jobs will be plant technicians, requiring an associate’s degree from a community or technical college with a specialization in nuclear power plant systems, radiation protection, or digital instrumentation and control. The remaining one-third of that workforce will be engineers with bachelor’s degrees in nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, engineering technology, and engineering physics with an understanding of nuclear power plant technology.