October 5, 2016
Fifty years after Fermi, can nuclear power make a comeback?
Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of America's worst nuclear accident. For the American public, nuclear power remains a controversial concept. The last active nuclear reactor in America ceased production in 1998, a casualty of green technology and public opinion. Over the past 20 years, expansion of solar, wind, tidal, and even geothermal power has largely replaced nuclear power. Wind farms can be seen all over the Midwest and solar panels cover much of Arizona.
However, experts warn that the U.S. faces an energy crisis. While nearly 30% of America's energy is generated from renewable sources, [1] there is an ever-growing demand for energy. Energy prices continue to rise and some fear the prospect of rolling blackouts. Pro-nuclear advocates are touting the concept of "safe nuclear" power. They point to successful experiments conducted in the late 1960s with thorium reactors led by former AEC chairman Alvin Weinberg as proof that nuclear power can be safe. However, this argument hasn't won over a skeptical public, who still oppose nuclear power by a 2-1 margin in most polls.
The meltdown has not been forgotten in the place where it occurred. Even a half century later, the effects of the Fermi disaster is still being felt among those living on the edge of the evacuation zone. Flint native Michael Moore's recent documentary, “Goddard Road”, [2]depicts life in the so-called “Cancer Belt” immediately north of the evacuation zone, in places like Ecorse, River Rouge, Lincoln Park, Allen Park, Dearborn, and Taylor. Poverty and abandonment are rampant, especially compared to more affluent areas like Flint. Even in nearby Detroit, a city of approximately 1.6 million people at the time of the Fermi accident, has shrunk to just under 500,000 residents. [3]
Convincing a skeptical public of the benefits of nuclear power will be an uphill battle for pro-nuclear advocates. But they remain undaunted, and are optimistic that a new generation of Americans can be persuaded to embrace the technology. Only time will tell.