Thursday, May 25, 2023. 3:00 PM. Webinar: Climate Conversations: Nuclear Energy. Ahmed Abdulla, Carleton University; Michael Ford, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; Kara Colton, Energy Communities Alliance. Sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. More information here. Register here.

Abstract: Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable sources of carbon-free electricity, and maintaining the current nuclear power fleet is a key part of U.S. trajectories to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. However, nuclear energy is not without risks, and it produces radioactive waste that lasts for millennia. As such, nuclear energy is a contentious topic with complex tradeoffs. Kara Colton (Energy Communities Alliance) will moderate a nuanced conversation with Ahmed Abdulla (Carleton University) and Michael Ford (Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory) about the challenges and opportunities related to the current and future role of nuclear energy in efforts to decarbonize the U.S. The conversation will touch on the science and engineering of nuclear reactors; the current social, political, and regulatory environment around nuclear energy in the U.S.; and lessons that can be learned from other countries that also employ nuclear energy.