Nuclear Energy

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Nuclear Energy Just the Facts Nuclear Energy 4Just the Facts This booklet explains today 9s nuclear energy technology, the processes and safety practices associated with it, and the benefits it provides. It includes information about how nuclear power plants work, the cost of producing electricity, nuclear energy 9s environmental benefits, the mining and production of uranium fuel, the safe management of used nuclear fuel, nuclear plant security, and the economics of nuclear energy. Most of all, it provides cjust the facts d for a quick study about nuclear energy.

To learn about nuclear energy at a glance and the contents of this book, simply turn the page. More detailed information on nuclear energy is available at www.nei.org. After mining, uranium is milled and processed to create uranium oxide or yellowcake .

(Page 6) The conversion plant removes impurities and chemically converts the material. Enrichment makes the uranium usable as a fuel. (Pages 6 and 7) In the reactor, nuclear 1ission produces energy to heat water and create steam that powers generators to produce electricity.

(Pages 4 and 5) The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission strictly regulates the commercial and institutional uses of nuclear energy, including nuclear power plants. Quality construction, continuous preventive maintenance and ... more. less.

ongoing reactor operator training have contributed to the nuclear energy industry 9s excellent sa1ety record . Neutron Target Nucleus Heat Neutron Neutron Neutron Fission Product Fission Product Nuclear Energy at a Glance Nuclear energy is by far the largest source of carbon-1ree generation and provides 20 percent of U.S. electricity. By using nuclear power instead of fossil fuel-based plants, the industry prevents the emission of millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases every year. (Pages 2 and 3) Nuclear 70.9% Hydro 25.4% Renewables 3.7% A fuel fabricator presses the uranium into solid, ceramic pellets and inserts them into rods making a 1uel assembly . Assemblies are then transported to the nuclear plant and loaded into the reactor . (Pages 6 and 7) Fuel Pellet (Actual Size) Emission-Free Power Building new nuclear plants is critical to meeting U.S. environmental and energy goals. (Page 14 ) After a cooling period, nuclear power plants store used fuel sa1ely and securely on site in steel and concrete vaults. (Page 8) Used fuel containers will travel by trains, trucks and barges to a permanent repository or a recycling facility. (Page 9) A nuclear reactor generates reliable electricity around the clock without producing greenhouse gases . (Pages 2 and 3) Development of advanced 1uel-cycle technologies improves efficiency and reduces waste but does not preclude the need for a federal repository. (Pages 10 and 11) A deep geologic repository is considered the best method of managing used nuclear fuel and recycling byproducts. The U.S. government is developing a repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev. (Pages 10 and 11) With 400 to 700 permanent jobs at a nuclear power plant, it provides significant economic bene1its to local communities. (Pages 16 and 17) Because nuclear plants do not produce greenhouse gases, the amount of carbon emissions they prevent is larger than all other electricity sources combined. Also, public support for nuclear energy has increased over the past two decades. 1 Nuclear Energy in the United States Just the Facts " Electricity is essential to the everyday lives of Americans and to the nation 9s economy. " Nuclear energy generates 20 percent o1 U.S. electricity . " Nuclear power plants produce clean, reliable and a11ordable electricity. Electricity is vital to everyday life 4powering everything from computers to air conditioners, lighting homes, running factories and powering server farms. Electricity generation and distribution are among the greatest achievements of the past century. With affordable power available to all, electricity fuels America 9s economy and has transformed the way we live and work. Nuclear energy produces electricity for one in five homes and businesses across the United States, with 104 reactors in 31 states. The country 9s largest source of carbon-free electricity is nuclear energy, accounting for 70 percent of all emission-free electricity generated. America 9s reactors operate around the clock, thereby stabilizing the entire country 9s electricity distribution system and electricity marketplace. 104 Reactors in 31 States " Nuclear power plants " Nuclear fuel facilities 2 Nuclear Energy Benefts the Environment About one-third o1 U.S. electricity comes 1rom emission-1ree sources. The United States generates most of its electricity by burning fossil fuels, a process that produces sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide . Emission-free sources provide only 30 percent of America 9s electricity, and 70 percent of that comes from nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants don 9t burn anything. Nuclear power plants don 9t burn anything, so they produce no combustion byproducts. Nuclear plants help protect our air quality and have been an important tool in meeting Clean Air Act goals in many states. Coupled with renewable energy options, nuclear energy is critical to meeting the country 9s environmental and energy goals. The United States needs abundant electricity and clean air. Given the country 9s growing demand for new sources of electricity 4as much as 25 percent by 2030, according to the Energy Information Administration 9s 2008 forecast 4the United States will need all new sources o1 generation available: renewables, coal, natural gas and nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is the only large-scale, emission-free energy source that can be widely expanded. Nuclear power plants help mitigate climate change because they don 9t produce greenhouse gases while generating electricity. U.S. Emission-Free Electricity Sources Nuclear 70.9% Hydro 25.4% Renewables 3.7% Source: Global Energy Decisions/ Energy Information Administration 3 Endangered species 1ind sanctuaries at nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants are so clean and safe that they provide excellent habitat for wildlife and plants. Some nuclear energy companies have developed environmentally rich wetlands, providing better nesting areas for waterfowl and other birds, new habitats for fish, and sanctuaries for other wildlife, flowers and grasses. cResidents d at nuclear power plant sites include many endangered and protected species, such as the American crocodile, manatee and shortnose sturgeon. Nuclear power plants have won praise 1or their environmental activities. Environmental programs conducted by companies operating nuclear plants have been recognized by the nation 9s best-known environmental organizations , including the Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, the Wildlife Habitat Council, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Emissions prevented by nuclear power plants nearly equal those produced by all U.S. passenger cars. By using nuclear power instead of fossil fuel-based plants, the U.S. nuclear energy industry prevents millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year. The volume of greenhouse gas emissions prevented at the nation 9s 104 nuclear power plants is equivalent to taking nearly all passenger cars off America 9s roadways. Many endangered and protected species, such as the shortnose sturgeon, find sanctuaries at nuclear plant sites. Environmental monitoring programs are a hallmark of the nuclear industry. The resourceful and adaptive coyote prefers the protected habitat of the Palo Verde nuclear plant site in Arizona. 4 How Nuclear Power Plants Work Instead of coal, oil or natural gas, nuclear reactors use enriched uranium for fuel. Uranium atoms make heat by splitting 4the technical term is fissioning . Uranium 1uel: solid ceramic pellets. The uranium 1uel at nuclear power plants comes to the plant as small, ceramic pellets inserted and sealed into long, vertical metal alloy tubes or rods. Inside the reactor vessel , or the core, nuclear 1ission produces heat to create steam that powers elec- tricity-producing generators. Nuclear fuel is a solid material enriched at a low level and cannot explode. Neutron Target Nucleus Heat Neutron Neutron Neutron Fission Product Fission Product Actual Size Fuel Assembly Fuel Rod A nuclear plant produces steam using the heat produced by splitting atoms in uranium 1uel. This steam drives a turbine to produce electricity. 5 Types o1 nuclear power plants There are two types of commercial nuclear power plants in the United States: boiling water reactors and pressurized water reactors. Ordinary water provides cooling for both types. Water is essential to the process that converts 1ission energy to electrical energy . Of the nation 9s 104 reactors, 69 are pressurized water reactors, while 35 are boiling water reactors. Boiling water reactors heat the water surrounding the nuclear fuel directly into steam in the reactor vessel . Pipes carry steam directly to the turbine, which drives the electric generator to produce electricity. Pressurized water reactors heat the water surrounding the nuclear fuel in the reactor vessel but keep the water under pressure to prevent it from boiling. Pumps move the hot water from the reactor vessel to a steam generator . There, the water pumped from the reactor heats a second, separate supply of water, which boils to make steam. The steam spins the turbine, which drives the generator that produces electricity. Boiling Water Reactor Pressurized Water Reactor Water Source One uranium 1uel pellet provides as much energy as one ton o1 coal, 149 gallons o1 oil or 17,000 cubic 1eet o1 natural gas. Water Source Reactor Vessel Reactor Vessel Turbine Turbine Electric Generator Electric Generator Steam Generator 6 How Nuclear Fuel Is Made Uranium miners use several techniques: sur1ace, underground and in-situ leach mining. In-situ leach mining uses liquids to recover minerals from the underground ore. Uranium also can be a byproduct of other mineral processing operations. After mining, material is milled and processed to create uranium oxide , or cyellowcake . d Most uranium mining in the United States uses the in-situ process, whereas Canada and Australia primarily use the surface and underground approaches. Yellowcake requires 1urther processing be1ore its use as a 1uel. In the next step, the uranium oxide goes to a conversion plant, which removes impurities and chemically converts the material to uranium hexa1luoride . The compound is heated to become a gas and is loaded into cylinders, where it cools and condenses into a solid. One of the world 9s five commercial conversion plants is in Metropolis, Ill. The others are in Canada, France, Russia and the United Kingdom. Uranium must undergo 1our processing steps to convert it 1rom an ore to solid ceramic 1uel pellets: mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, and 1abrication. Mining and Milling Conversion o1 Yellowcake Enrichment Centri1uges 7 Utilities can buy uranium and have it enriched, or they can buy uranium already enriched. Uranium hexafluoride contains two different forms, or isotopes , of uranium; one (U-238) is heavier than the other (U-235). The lighter U-235 is cfissionable d and typically makes up less than 1 percent of uranium by weight, while U-238 accounts for more than 99 percent. To make uranium usable as a fuel, its U-235 content must increase to 3 percent to 5 percent by weight through a process called enrichment . The U.S.-Russia cMegatons to Megawatts d program downblends uranium from the Russian weapons program into commercial reactor fuel used in U.S. plants. Fuel assemblies are designed to meet the speci1ic requirements o1 each nuclear reactor. After enrichment, a fuel fabricator converts uranium hexafluoride into uranium dioxide powder and presses it into 1uel pellets . The fabricator loads the ceramic pellets into long tubes made of a noncorrosive material, usually zirconium alloy. Once grouped together into a bundle, these fuel rods form a 1uel assembly . Multiple assemblies, which average 14 feet in length, power a reactor for 36 to 54 months, after which the chain reaction 9s efficiency begins to decrease. Operators replace about one- quarter to one-third of the fuel assemblies with new fuel every 18 to 24 months. Fuel Assembly Fuel Pellet (Actual Size) Uranium 1uel pellets are loaded into 1uel rods. When grouped, they 1orm 1uel assemblies 1or insertion into the reactor. Fuel Fabrication 8 Managing Used Nuclear Fuel Nuclear power plants produce relatively little waste. A typical large nuclear power plant produces enough electricity for more than 750,000 homes but only about 20 metric tons of used uranium 1uel each year. In terms of volume, that is roughly equivalent to the cargo area of a small truck. Commercial reactors in the United States together produce about 2,000 metric tons of used fuel annually. The used fuel is highly radioactive and must be contained safely. Used 1uel at nuclear plant sites is managed securely in special buildings that house the fuel in steel-lined, concrete pools filled with water. After the used fuel cools, it can be stored on plant property in huge steel or steel- lined concrete containers. This is called dry cask storage . Inner Steel Shell Rein1orced Concrete Solid-Steel Cap Used Fuel Pool A Typical Dry Storage Container Nuclear power plants store used fuel safely and securely on site in steel and concrete vaults. Used nuclear 1uel is a solid material sa1ely stored at nuclear plant sites. This is one part o1 an integrated used 1uel management system . Fuel Assemblies 9 Used fuel containers will travel by trains, trucks and barges to a disposal facility. Robust containers keep their contents sa1e. The industry has an exemplary sa1ety record for used nuclear fuel transportation. These shipments have covered 1.7 million miles with no injuries, fatalities or environmental damage resulting from the radioactivity of the cargo. When the Yucca Mountain repository opens, shippers will transport fuel for disposal in special containers by rail, truck and possibly barge. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and U.S. Department of Energy 9s national laboratories have subjected shipping containers to intense crash and fire tests to ensure safe shipments even under extreme conditions. Nuclear power plants manage byproducts that have low levels o1 radioactivity. This waste includes such things as protective clothing, tools and equipment. Shippers transport low-level radioactive waste most often by truck to one of several federally licensed disposal facilities located throughout the country. Neutron Shield Fuel Assembly Impact Absorber Cap Steel-Lead- Steel Shell Train Container and Transport Car The nuclear industry has sa1ely transported more than 3,000 shipments o1 used nuclear 1uel over the past 40 years. 10 Used nuclear 1uel is managed through an integrated program. Deep geologic disposal is the best method of managing used reactor fuel absent a recycling program, according to the National Academy of Sciences. A long-term objective for managing used fuel or byproducts from recycling is the construction of a repository 1,000 feet under Yucca Mountain, Nev. The highest level of public safety and environ- mental protection would be provided by an integrated program that includes the development of recycling technologies, temporary storage of used fuel, and its safe packaging and transportation before permanent disposal. The government will build an underground repository 1or permanent disposal. Scientists began studying Yucca Mountain, Nev., in the early 1980s as a possible site for a repository for used fuel, as well as high-level radioactive waste from the nation 9s defense programs. The president and Congress approved the site in 2002. DOE will build and operate the repository if the NRC approves thelicense application. Thirteen other nations plan to dispose of used nuclear fuel in underground repositories. Sur1ace North Portal 1,000 Feet Repository Level Water Table Fuel Emplacement Yucca Mountain and Advanced Fuel-Cycle Technologies The U.S. government has a legal obligation to manage reactor 1uel and plans to dispose o1 this material at a specially designed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev. 1,000 Feet 11 Enrichment Plant Fuel Fabricator Fast Reactor Used-Fuel Recycling Facility Nuclear Power Plant South Portal Nuclear energy 9s resurgence has renewed interest in advanced 1uel-cycle technologies. The expected expansion of nuclear energy has prompted a new initiative to develop and commercialize advanced 1uel-cycle technologies . Development of these fuel-cycle technologies will take several decades and billions of dollars to complete. Although the nuclear energy industry supports such research and development, no technology will preclude the need for a federal repository. The United States currently does not recycle reactor 1uel. The U.S. government decided to stop recycling used 1uel in the 1970s because of economic and proliferation concerns. Although technology makes it possible to recycle and reuse uranium and plutonium from used nuclear fuel, the separated plutonium raised proliferation concerns. This process also was quite expensive. Advanced recycling technologies hold the promise of addressing both these issues. Yucca Mountain Repository Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycle Advanced technologies 1or recycling nuclear 1uel could reuse 90 percent o1 the energy in a 1uel rod and reduce the volume and toxicity o1 the waste that requires disposal. Used fuel would be readied at Yucca Mountain, Nev., surface facilities for emplacement in the repository. 12 Sa1ety Is Paramount in Nuclear Plant Operations The nation 9s nuclear power plants are among the sa1est and most secure industrial 1acilities in the United States. Automated, multiple safety systems, the industry 9s commitment to comprehensive safety procedures and stringent federal regulation keep nuclear power plants and their communities safe. The NRC, an independent federal agency, strictly regulates the commercial and institutional uses of nuclear energy, including nuclear power plants. The agency regulates plant performance according to three strategic areas: reactor sa1ety, radiation sa1ety and security . Independent NRC inspectors at each plant provide oversight of plant operation, maintenance, equipment replacement and training. The NRC posts all performance results on its Web site (www.nrc.gov) . The nuclear energy industry has an impeccable sa1ety record. Quality plant construction, continuous preventive maintenance and ongoing reactor operator training all have contributed to the nuclear energy industry 9s excellent safety record. Levels of safety in the nuclear energy industry exceed those of the overall electricity industry and of the manufacturing sector. 1 / 4 d Steel Liner 36 d Concrete Shielding Fuel Assemblies and Water 8 d Steel Reactor Vessel U.S.-Style Nuclear Reactor 4De1ense in Depth Nuclear power plants are designed and operated sa1ely, with multiple back-up sa1ety systems, including automatic shutdowns. Ongoing and on-the-job training for reactor operators and other key personnel has contributed to the nuclear energy industry 9s excellent safety record. 45 d Steel-Rein1orced Concrete 2 1 / 2 d Steel Rein1orcement Rods 13 All commercial nuclear plants have emergency response procedures in the event o1 an accident or security event. These procedures are evaluated regularly during extensive drills involving plant personnel and local police, fire and emergency management organi- zations. NRC and Federal Emergency Management Agency expert teams evaluate some of these drills. Background on the accident at Three Mile Island The accident at Three Mile Island (TMI) in 1979 was caused by a combination of equipment failure and the inability of plant operators to understand the reactor 9s condition at certain times during the event. A gradual loss of cooling water to the reactor 9s heat-producing core led to partial melting of the fuel rod steel cladding and the uranium fuel and the controlled release of a small amount of radioactive material. The TMI accident caused no injuries or deaths. Also, experts concluded that the amount of radiation released into the atmosphere was too small to result in discernible health effects to residents in the vicinity of the plant. At least 12 epidemiological studies conducted since 1981 have confirmed this fact. Background on the accident at Chernobyl The 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine is the only accident in the history of commercial nuclear power to cause on-site fatalities from radiation. It was the product of a severely flawed Soviet-era reactor design combined with disregard of operating protocols. A Chernobyl-type reactor would not meet U.S. safety standards and could not be licensed in the United States. Accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, though serious events, led to signifcant improvements in nuclear plant sa1ety. Nuclear plant staff and local emergency responders drill together to ensure close coordination. 14 Building New Nuclear Plants The United States will need nearly 300 new power plants by 2030. The U.S. Department of Energy forecasts the United States will need about 260,000 megawatts of new electric generating capacity by 2030, equivalent to 260 new large power plants. This rising electricity demand, along with concerns about greenhouse gases and pollution, make new nuclear plants vital to our energy mix . Energy companies are developing license applications to build as many as 30 new commercial reactors in the United States. Several companies already have submitted applications for new reactors that the NRC is review- ing under its new licensing process. The 1ederal government is planning 1or 1uture electricity needs. The Energy Department and the industry are participating in Nuclear Power 2010 , a jointly funded program that has two major goals. The first is to test the NRC 9s new licensing process for nuclear power plants. The second is to complete first-of-a-kind design and engineering on two reactor designs so electric utilities can obtain the firm cost estimates they need for decision- making purposes. U.S. companies are rebuilding in1rastructure 1or new reactors. Suppliers expect they can meet the needs of the first few new reactors. They have launched new initiatives, however, to develop the manu1acturing base for new plants and to ensure the industry has the right construction management, engineering expertise and skilled labor needed for the future. New-plant construction will provide thousands of additional jobs . Building a new nuclear plant will create 1,400 to 1,800 jobs during construction, with peak employment as high as 2,400 jobs. 3,994 4,968 2007 2030 U.S. Electricity Demand Will Increase 25 Percent by 2030 (in billion kilowatt-hours) Energy companies and consortia are pursuing plans to build as many as 30 new nuclear power plants to help meet projected increases in U.S. electricity demand. About 30 nuclear power plants are under construction around the world. Source: Energy Information Administration 15 The industry is training and recruiting the nuclear work 1orce o1 the 1uture. Because 35 percent of workers in the nuclear energy industry will be eligible to retire within five years, the industry is focusing on staffing and recruitment issues to retain a high-quality work force. The industry has intensified its recruiting efforts to address ethnic diversity issues, expand opportunities for women and attract talented employees needed in specific professions, such as nuclear engineering and health physics . Industry e11orts to increase the work 1orce have begun to show results. The number of students enrolled in four-year nuclear engineering programs increased to 1,800 in 2006 from a low of about 500 in 1998. The industry also has partnered with local technical and community colleges and organized labor to develop technicians and cra1t personnel . But the industry still faces a critical shortage of skilled workers to build the next generation of nuclear plants. Nuclear energy 9s expansion in the United States will require thousands of new workers. 2,612 2,941 3,086 Undergraduate Graduate Nuclear Engineering Enrollment 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 1,520 1,092 1,831 1,110 1,9331,153 Source: U.S. Department of Energy 16 Economic Benefts Nuclear plants provide economic bene1its to their local communities. Each year, the average nuclear plant generates approximately $430 million in sales of goods and services in the local community and nearly $40 million in total labor income. These figures include both direct and secondary e11ects . The direct effects reflect the plant 9s expenditures for goods, services and labor. The secondary effects include subsequent spending attributable to the presence of the plant and its employees as plant expenditures filter through the local economy (such as restaurants and shops buying goods and hiring employees). The average nuclear plant generates total state and local tax revenue of almost $20 million each year. These tax dollars benefit schools, roads and other state and local infrastructure. Each nuclear plant generates federal tax payments of roughly $75 million each year. Operation o1 a U.S. nuclear plant generates 400 to 700 permanent jobs. The 400 to 700 permanent jobs at a nuclear plant pay 36 percent more than average salaries in the local area. The plant also creates an equivalent number of additional jobs in the local area to provide the goods and services necessary to support the nuclear plant work force. Nuclear power plants create hundreds o1 high-paying jobs at the plants and in the surrounding communities. The Three Mile Island nuclear plant purchased a new fire truck for Londonderry Township, Pa. Additional jobs are created to provide goods and services like grocery stores, dry cleaners, car dealers, etc. 17 Nuclear power is the lowest-cost producer o1 baseload electricity. Average electricity production costs at nuclear power plants have declined more than 30 percent in the past 10 years to an average of 1.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. This includes the costs of operating and maintaining the plant, purchasing nuclear fuel, and managing used fuel. Electricity generated from nuclear power also has tremendous forward price stability because only about one-quarter of production costs are fuel costs. Fuel accounts for 80 percent to 90 percent of the cost of electricity produced by fossil fuel-fired generation, making it highly susceptible to fluctuations in coal and gas prices. 10.0 8.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 1995 2006 Nuclear 1.72 Coal 2.37 Gas 6.75 Petroleum 9.63 U.S. Electricity Production Costs (in 2006 cents per kilowatt-hour) Nuclear energy provides reliable electricity around the clock to power our digital world. Nuclear power has a lower production cost than coal or natural gas, so it helps reduce the price o1 electricity 1or consumers. Source: Global Energy Decisions 18 Nuclear Energy Key Statistics Nuclear 19.4% Hydro 5.8% Renewables 3.2% U.S. Electricity Generation by Fuel Type Oil 1.6% Gas 21.5% Coal 48.6% Improvements in nuclear power plant e ciency since 1990 have raised total electricity output by an amount equal to building 29 new reactors. The United States has the world 9s largest commercial nuclear energy program. Each year, America 9s 104 nuclear power plants alone produce more electricity than does any single country from all generating sources except China, Japan and Russia. Efficiency gains have enabled nuclear plants to increase output by 40 percent since 1990 without building any new reactors. Because nuclear plants do not produce greenhouse gases, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions they prevent is larger than all other electricity sources combined. As a result of these factors, public opinion surveys show a steady increase in support for nuclear energy. The following graphs illus- trate nuclear energy 9s increasing value to consumers and importance to our nation 9s energy supply. Source: Global Energy Decisions/ Energy Information Administration 19 Nuclear Hydro Geothermal Wind Solar 681.2 241.9 22.2 12.8 0.4 Emissions Avoided by U.S. Electric Power Industry (in million metric tons of CO 2 ) 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 Nuclear Energy Output Sets Production Record in 2007 (in billions of kilowatt-hours) In seven states, nuclear energy makes up the largest percentage o1 electricity production: These include Vermont (75%), New Jersey (53%), South Carolina (52%), Illinois (49%), Connecticut (48%), New Hampshire (42%) and New York (30%). 806 Source: Global Energy Decisions/ Energy Information Administration Source: Environmental Protection Agency/ Energy Information Administration 282.8 20 Nuclear Energy Key Statistics 199 1999 201 2001 201 2002 2002 2002 203 2003 200 2004 2004 2005 206 2006 2007 2008 59% Favor 39% Oppose Steady Growth in Public Support 1or Nuclear Energy 80% 4 60% 4 40% 4 20% 4 33% Oppose 1983 198 5 1987 19 89 1991 19 93 1995 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 June Oct. Jan March Jul Oct. Feb June Oct May Oct April Oct May Mar Sept. Apr April Growing Support 1or Building More Nuclear Power Plants 80% 60% 40% 20% 80% 60% 40% 20% Source: Bisconti Research Inc. Source: Bisconti Research Inc. 63% Favor The Nuclear Energy Institute is an industry policy organization that fosters the beneficial uses of nuclear technologies worldwide. The Institute 9s members include companies that operate commercial nuclear power plants, their suppliers and labor unions, as well as leading universities, research laboratories, radiopharmaceutical and radioisotope manufacturers, and others. 1776 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 202.739.8000 www.nei.org GP0075 MAY 2008 Environmental Benefits Statement This publication is printed using a waterless press with soy-based inks on New Leaf Primavera Gloss (FSC), made with 80% recycled fiber and 60% post-consumer waste, 80% processed chlorine free, By using this environmental paper, the Nuclear Energy Institute saves the following resources annually: Calculated based on research done by Environmental Defense and other members of the Paper Task Force. trees 47 fully grown water 28,864 gallons energy 34 million BTU solid waste 8,316 pounds greenhouse gases 6,028 pounds

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