Return to list. As we learn more and put into use good energy-management practices, increased efficiency will temporarily reduce the need for new power plants. However, better energy management will not eliminate the need for new plants entirely. Our population is still growing. Older plants wear out, become uneconomical, and need to be replaced.
Older technologies become more expensive.
They need to be replaced as well. Current estimates are that, with increased growth in our country, we may have electricity shortages by the late 1990s. To avoid this, we must start planning now for power plants needed in the next decade. It takes six to eight years to build a large coal plant and 12 to 14 years to build a large nuclear plant. Return to list.