Citation

Kopelman JB, Nesbitt DM. Energy 1977; 2(1): 33-43.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0360-5442(77)90018-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although the present average cost of generating electricity from nuclear reactors is less than the average cost of power from fossil fuel plants, the pressures for additional regulatory controls on nuclear power plants raise the possibility that nuclear power might become unavailable as an energy alternative. With the help of a model of U.S. interfuel competition developed at SRI, implications of various alternative assumptions about the future availability of nuclear power are examined. The economic costs of a nuclear moratorium are evaluated for two different forecasts of energy-demand growth. The impacts of a nuclear moratorium on coal-production levels and petroleum imports are examined. Although the loss of the nuclear option is offset by a substantial increase in eastern and western coal production, the net present cost of this replacement--more than $100 billion--is substantial.