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Electric Power Research Institute President and CEO Dr. Arshad Mansoor this month stressed the importance of nuclear generation to the resilience of the U.S. electric power system and expressed confidence in the potential for new and emerging nuclear energy technologies to support continued grid decarbonization.
In a virtual panel discussion sponsored by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Mansoor pointed to the exceptional performance of ERCOT nuclear power plants during the recent winter storm that precipitated the 2021 Texas power crisis.
To underscore the centrality of nuclear generation to grid reliability, Mansoor said, “the resiliency of nuclear power plants, the diversity that nuclear power plants bring is something we cannot lose in the near-term as we transition to this low- to no carbon grid.”
“We need to value reliability. We need to value resiliency; we need to value inertia and not just value kilowatt-hour,” said Mansoor. “Our largest source of carbon-free energy today comes from the U.S. nuclear fleet. We at EPRI are looking into digitalization, modernization of existing and future nuclear plants. We’ve got to bring it to a place where it’s more affordable.”
Mansoor participated in the NRC’s 33rd Regulatory Information Conference (RIC) alongside leading power sector voices Jette Gebhart, Director, Office of Energy Market Regulation, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); Kevin Lynn, Director of Grid Modernization, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); Dewey Samuel “Sammy” Roberts II, General Manager, Transmission Planning and Operations Strategy, Duke Energy.
Panelists explored the challenges to grid resilience including the increasing frequency of severe weather events, emerging cybersecurity threats, a growing number of distributed energy resources (DER) and a rapidly changing energy supply mix that advancements in nuclear generation can help to resolve with industry and government-led initiatives.
The Energy Department’s Kevin Lynn said, one such project the Department is working on with EPRI is “building a better understanding of what independent system operators (ISOs) see as some of their challenges over the next five to 10 years from a technical perspective, and how can we work with EPRI and other partners to inform our research and help address those challenges.”
Duke Energy’s Roberts explained that utilities and other power providers are prioritizing resilience and emphasized the importance of “integrating everything from fuel planning to customer behavior,” all of which must be examined holistically when devising a resource plan, he said.
Source: Electric Power Research Institute
