Power of Texas: Importance of nuclear power in the Lone Star State - Spectrum News
Importance of nuclear power in the Lone Star State
Nuclear energy powers more of Texas than you may be aware of.
It can be a powerful and reliable source of power, and it doesn't cost all that much.
However, it remains controversial. Many communities worry about radioactive waste.
In the video player above, Spectrum News 1 reporter Brian Scott visits a nuclear facility located southwest of Fort Worth.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.