At least one utility has suggested it may submit a license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission within a few years. Good afternoon David George. Say what you will about nuclear power, but it is true that nuclear generators do not put out any greenhouse gasses. Waste is a problem, and even if another new nuclear plant is never built, we will still have the waste left over from the 435 plants still operating around the world, as well as from plants that have closed. The government is pushing for a permanent high-level nuclear waste repository inside Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Critics say the site is fatally flawed because of dormant volcanic activity nearby.
But industry critics promise a protracted fight including court action if the government moves forward. I am currently starting a career in nuclear power, and I believe that it will be sooner than most people think. So there is building activity going on currently. Westinghouse is actively seeking customers for its new gravity-cooled reactor which has already received NRC approval. I guess one thing that tells us something is the fact that there are a number in California.