Powering Europe in the 21st Century

Nuclear power has provided sustainable, clean, and affordable electricity generation in Europe for over 50 years and will continue to play a critical role in the years ahead. This paper discusses the likely trends in Europe's evolving energy situation and the positive role nuclear power can play. The benefits that nuclear power brings will be discussed as well as the need for the diversification of Europe's energy supply. The keys to a successful nuclear new build are: safe and simplified plant designs, predictable construction cost, reliable and safe operation of both new plants and the current fleet. The primary nuclear power technologies, Pressurized Water Reactors, commonly called PWRs, and Boiling Water Reactors, commonly called BWRs, will be described and compared in the areas of safety, operation, and economics with particular emphasis on the latest BWR designs. Lastly, an option to close the nuclear fuel cycle will be examined.