US Nuclear Corp

There are 100 commercial nuclear reactors operating within 60 power plants in the U.S. alone. On average, these reactors are about 34 years old, while the oldest, Nine Mile Point Unit 1 and Oyster Creek, have been in use since December 1969.

Although the nation has been investing in energy — specifically clean, alternative forms — for quite some time, there is still a high demand for non-fossil fuel energy sources.

Investing in nuclear energy is clearly nothing new, but despite the age of the existing nuclear energy plants and reactors, there are new reactors being built even today.

In June 2016, Watts Bar Unit 2 began its initial operation in Tennessee. This is the first nuclear reactor to come online in the U.S. since 1996. It is expected to begin its commercial operations by the end of this year.

Additionally, Vogtle Units 3 and 4 are currently being constructed in Georgia and Virgil C. Summer Units 2 and 3 are being built in South Carolina.

Since the shutdown of four reactors in 2013, and since Vermont Yankee was removed from service in 2014, the U.S. nuclear industry has dipped. But as of recently, it’s been making a comeback.

Nuclear power has generated roughly 20% of U.S. electricity since 1990. As the power plants continue to undergo modifications, they have been able to increase their capacities and shorten their offline times.

While there are some risks in nuclear energy investment, the rewards are much greater with proper monitoring. Nuclear power plant investments could drastically reduce the global need for fossil fuels, which have been proven to harm the environment and are available in finite amounts.

While the U.S. only holds five percent of the world’s population, it burns nearly a quarter of the Earth’s fossil fuels, creating greenhouse gasses, as well as air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals.

Nuclear energy is a contained form of energy generation, and therefore does not produce the same types of pollutants that harm the environment. Of course, nuclear reactions do create radioactive byproducts, which must be monitored closely.

Regular radiation detection and measurement is especially important when it comes to nuclear energy investment. While the radiation can be dangerous, if controlled, nuclear energy is some of the most effective forms of energy generated today.

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Here’s something scary: within a span of two months in 2014, drones flew around France’s nuclear facilities at least 32 times. We still don’t know who was responsible, which is exceptionally worrisome as commercial drones are becoming a fact of life.

It is no secret that technology around us is evolving at a rapid pace. Since commercial drones are becoming commonplace, more needs to be done to protect nuclear facilities from threats.

Typically, drones are often used by utility companies for a variety of tasks such as checking power lines and inspecting storm damage. However, security experts warn that drones could also be used to threaten the security of nuclear power plants. Currently, there are 99 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 61 nuclear power plants across the nation.

Why? The concerns started in 2015 when the Federal Aviation Administration released new rules clearing the way for commercial drones. After feeling threatened, prominent members of the nuclear energy sector grew incredibly nervous as these rules weren’t deemed safe. At the time, David Kline, the director of security with the U.S. Nuclear Institute, called the FAA’s rules “insufficient”.

Kline suggested adding a provision to ban drone operators from flying within a three-mile radius of any nuclear power plant, which would prevent them from accessing confidential, sensitive information.

“Although NEI is not aware of any unauthorized flights of [drones] at or near U.S. commercial nuclear power plants, the present FAA regulatory regime and the Proposed Rule are not sufficient to address such flights,” Kline said.

The good news is that along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, the FAA has recently implemented a new set of rules that will bring clarity to the nuclear industry. The regulations will not allow commercial use of drones at night, flying of drones over people, or flying drones beyond the visual eye of sight.

With the threat of climate change, there is a growing interest in investing in nuclear energy. Nuclear investment has been shown to be a great alternative to fossil fuels, as the growing world population is causing a demand for electricity that cannot be met.

If you are looking for more information concerning nuclear investment and publicly traded nuclear companies, be sure to contact U.S. Nuclear Corp.

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