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Friday, May 23, 2014

NEI Policy Brief: Electricity Markets Undervalue Nuclear Power Plants

Policy Briefs


March 2014

Key Points

· Electricity markets must accord value to nuclear energy’s attributes—including large-scale electricity production, clean air, price stability and the highest reliability of any electric generating source—or these benefits may gradually disappear. By undervaluing nuclear power plants, current market policies and practices threaten the diversity of our nation’s generating portfolio and our ability to meet environmental goals.

· The U.S. electric sector is experiencing a period of sustained economic stress because of stagnant electricity demand, low energy prices and the need for large capital investments to replace aging infrastructure. The situation is particularly difficult for nuclear power plants in merchant markets that are experiencing price suppression. Particularly at risk are the older, smaller plants—like Kewaunee in Wisconsin, which closed in 2013, and Vermont Yankee in Vermont, which will shut down late this year. However, large nuclear energy facilities also may be at risk in some markets.

· Competitive electricity markets are not producing price signals to stimulate investment in new generating capacity—with the exception of natural gas—or to support continued operation of existing power plants. This is clear from assessments of these markets in New England, the Midwest, Texas and elsewhere by independent firms commissioned to monitor market performance. Inefficient pricing may stem from actions by regional transmission operators, weaknesses in market design, or government policies that enable low or negative pricing for some types of electric generation.

· America’s 100 nuclear power plants generate 20 percent of the country’s electricity—and nearly two-thirds of its carbon-free electricity. Shutting down a nuclear plant means a loss of hundreds of jobs, a sharp drop in tax revenue for nearby communities, and a surge in greenhouse gas emissions as other power sources (usually natural gas) fill the gap in electricity generation. Most mainstream analyses of climate change policy show that nuclear energy is essential to reduce carbon emissions.

· The continued economic viability of nuclear power plants depends on several factors, including electricity and capacity prices, natural gas prices, regional growth in electricity demand, economic growth in the region, and political sentiment. The outlook also depends on what actions, if any, policymakers take to address market defects.

http://www.nei.org/Master-Document-Folder/Backgrounders/Policy-Briefs/Electricity-Markets-Undervalue-Nuclear-Power-Plant

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