A Nuclear Future?

Over time, the way the government reacted to nuclear power as an energy source has varied drastically. As we enter a new era where AI’s influence increases and the search for sustainable energy sources continues, the federal government’s opinion has once again evolved. Starting with Dwight Eisenhower’s strong support and the nuclear boom in the 1980s, nuclear power quickly lost support after three key nuclear accidents. Recently, public opinion has shifted in support, and the government has followed suit by funding nuclear power expansion.

Following WWII, President Dwight Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace Program spread nuclear equipment and information access to schools, hospitals and research institutions and funded nuclear power development with $72.5 million. One of the first nuclear power plants in the US was created under Dwight Eisenhower in 1958 at the Shippingport Atomic Power Station. Twenty-five miles from Pittsburgh, this plant supplied nuclear energy to the Pittsburgh area for twenty-five years before it retired in 1982.

While the Shippingport Power Station was retired, the 80s saw a nuclear boom. With forty-six plants commissioned just in the 80s and 109 nuclear reactors, 19% of the nation’s electricity was generated through nuclear power – making it the second largest power source in the US right behind coal. This boom was ignited by technological advancements that demanded more electricity while the public was still shaken by the 1970s oil crisis. The government also facilitated this boom through financial support.

Shortly after the boom of the 80s, three key nuclear accidents raised public opposition to this new form of energy. In 1979, the partial meltdown in Londonderry Township, PA (Three Mile Island) kickstarted the decline of popular opinion that continued after the devastating nuclear accident at the Chernobyl power station in Ukraine and the third accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in 2011. The government reacted to public opinion by slowing the production of new plants.

Recently, the government has turned back around to this source of renewable energy with the rise in environmental awareness and the increased need for power for AI data centers. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in May, 56% of Americans surveyed are in favor of creating more nuclear power plants to generate electricity. Under the Biden Administration, the “Fire Grants and Safety Act” implemented a rate of licensing unseen since the 70s, and under the “Inflation Reduction Act” Biden allotted $6 billion to the nuclear energy sector.

Just this past year, the federal government has partnered with state legislators in Michigan to recommission a nuclear power plant for $2 billion after retiring for three years. The government has helped increase nuclear development from private funding like Bill Gates, who is developing his own small power plant just to fuel TerraPower – his new AI platform. Bill Gates isn’t the only one pursuing a small nuclear reactor. Google is backing up seven new power plants in the US that are expected to be delivered by Kairos between 2030 and 2035. The senior director for energy and climate at Alphabet’s Google says Google’s end goal is “24/7, carbon-free energy” (Google Backs New Nuclear Plants to Power AI). With the increase in AI development, the entire tech industry is searching for massive amounts of energy, and small nuclear power plants may prove to be a promising solution.

As the US anticipates Donald Trump’s presidency, the future of nuclear energy hangs in the balance. Considering Trump’s nominee for Energy Secretary, Chris Wright - who favors fracking and traditional, carbon-emitting energy - it is likely nuclear development will drastically slow down without much government support. Works Cited: American Nuclear Society. “Eisenhower's Atomic Power for Peace III: CAP and Power Demonstration Reactors.” Nuclear Newswire, https://www.ans.org/news/.

Duke Energy. “A Brief History of Nuclear Power in the U.S.” Nuclear Information Center, https://nuclear.duke-energy.com.

History.com Editors. “Three Mile Island.” History, https://www.history.com/topics/1970s/three-mile-island.

Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective. “The Unkept Promise of Nuclear Power.” Origins, https://origins.osu.edu/article/unkept-promise-nuclear-power?language_content_entity=en.

Shale Magazine. “U.S. Nuclear Energy Revival: A New Era.” Shale Magazine, https://shalemag.com.

Stateline. “Federal Money Could Supercharge State Efforts to Preserve Nuclear Power.” Stateline, 12 Feb. 2024, https://stateline.org/2024/02/12/federal-money-could-supercharge-state-efforts-to-preserve-nuclear-power/.

University of Southern California Dornsife. “The Nuclear Debate.” USC Dornsife Magazine, https://dornsife.usc.edu/magazine/the-nuclear-debate/.

The Wall Street Journal. “Can a Closed Nuclear Power Plant From the ’70s Be Brought Back to Life?” The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal. “Google Backs New Nuclear Plants to Power AI.” The Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal. “Trump's Choice for Energy Secretary Is a Fracking Booster and Climate Skeptic.” The Wall Street Journal.