Greetings! In this issue we highlight Poland's decision to add nuclear in their draft energy policy, the recent electoral victory of pro-nuclear advocates in Taiwan, and a recent interview with Bill Gates, where he discusses the important role of nuclear power in addressing climate change. We also spotlight The Fourth National Climate Assessment, which warned of significant damage to the U.S. economy from climate change.

New Congress Must Think Big on Climate and Nuclear

The next Congress must respond quickly and comprehensively to the significant economic and national security impacts posed by climate change that were forcefully documented in the recent reports of the U.S. Global Change Research Program  and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change .  The answer is not the narrowly-drawn Green New Deal , a renewables-only proposal that has generated support from some climate concerned organizations and new members of the House of Representatives. This approach is not in the national interest and a single-path focus will not adequately address the full range of challenges, a key point that Bill Gates clearly articulated in an interview this week. The new reports make clear that climate change will negatively affect the economic strength of the U.S., the well-being of its citizens, and its security throughout this century. The Pentagon, across administrations, has consistently made clear its serious concerns about how climate will impact is missions and infrastructure. An effective congressional response must be comprehensive and balanced to be effective over the long term and adapt to evolving circumstances. It must include significant support to maintain and expand research, development and wide-scale deployment of renewable energy sources, non-carbon-emitting nuclear power, and atmospheric carbon removal and sequestration.  Renewables are on the rise and that trend should be fully supported. But, as the world moves toward a clean energy future, no one technology will be adequate to respond to the growing electricity demand in developing nations and the global need to decarbonize the transportation, manufacturing and agriculture sectors, which together account for almost 60 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear energy generates 56 percent of the emission-free electricity in the U.S., roughly triple the amount generated by hydropower and wind, and almost 19 times the amount produced by solar power. The elimination of nuclear power in Germany and its significant curtailment in Japan have resulted in increased carbon emissions as those nations have been forced to rely more on fossil fuels, despite increasing their deployment of renewables.  Nuclear power also plays an important role in strengthening U.S. geopolitical competitiveness, sustaining America’s leadership in technological innovation, and improving global security and governance.  The United States Congress has been a leader in responding to global challenges. It can and must rise to meet the serious challenges posed by climate change. A key element of that response must be a recognition that a full range of climate responses and technologies are necessary to bend the carbon emissions curve in the right direction. Time is limited, and renewables-only rigidity is not a sustainable path toward a zero carbon future. Ken Luongo, President of Partnership for Global Security

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Nuclear Policy, Governance, and Geopolitics

Energy Secretary Rick Perry lobbied the Czech Republic for US suppliers as the country begins searching for a new nuclear energy partner. Poland’s first nuclear power plant (NPP) is expected to become operational by 2033, as the country plans to cut emissions by 30% by 2030 in their new draft energy policy. France’s new energy plan might mean that up to six reactors could shut down by 2028 as the government aims to reduce nuclear’s role in its energy mix and instead boost renewables. ROSATOM believes that nuclear energy is the key to promoting industrialization and economic growth in Nigeria. Top officials from the UAE and South Korea recently launched a high-level dialogue channel that will focus on nuclear security, safety, research and development, and expanding their partnership.

Nuclear Security and Emerging Technologies Battelle Energy Alliance selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s PRISM technology to support the U.S. Department of Energy’s Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) program. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is pressing for stronger action on climate change, noting in an  Axios  interview that wind and solar alone can't solve the problem. Gates is an investor in new energy technologies, including TerraPower, which is developing an advanced nuclear reactor.

Nuclear Collaboration

The Holtec International subsidiary Holtec Asia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a local government in India to build a heavy manufacturing facility to support the country's planned nuclear energy expansion.

Domestic Civil Nuclear Developments

After attending a meeting with nuclear experts and NuScale engineers, Puerto Rico's House of Representatives approved a resolution that calls for an investigation on the need for nuclear energy reactors on the island. Alaska is interested in nuclear power and will host a workshop, in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory (INL), on small nuclear reactor technologies within the upcoming months.

The Nuclear Consensus

In Taiwan, voters rejected the government’s phase-out of nuclear power, 59% to 41%. Many believe this turnout was prompted by the deadly black-outs that country experienced last year after the government started shutting down nuclear reactors. Nuclear experts, including ROSATOM, are urging African countries to commit more to nuclear power as they believe that the growing use of nuclear technologies would help decrease the electricity shortage on the continent and accelerate development.

Spotlight  The Fourth National Climate Assessment, published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, states that global warming will cause serious harm to the U.S. economy by 2100 and directly connects climate change to ongoing environmental issues in the U.S.

Noteworthy Research

FORATOM, the association of nuclear energy industry in Europe, released a report stating that if the European Union (EU) is serious about decarbonizing and meeting climate change goals then one-quarter of the electricity produced in the EU will need to come from nuclear by 2050.

The Nuclear Conversation

Forget the Trump Bailout - Here’s a Real Solution for Nuclear and the Climate Union of Concerned Scientist, November 13, 2018

The Partnership for Global Security (PGS) is a recognized international leader and innovator in nuclear and transnational security policy developing actionable responses to 21st century security challenges by engaging international, private sector, and multidisciplinary expert partners to assess policy needs, identify effective strategies, and drive demonstrable results.

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