Operator training has improved. The number of nuclear reactor simulators has grown 10-fold. Operating capacity has increased by 30 percent, the equivalent of adding 20 new power plants in the last 20 years. The Institute of Nuclear Power Operators was formed to provide strict oversight and communications in addition to that provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The World Association of Nuclear Operations has been formed to increase safety and communications from reactor operators around the world.
Nuclear energy is beneficial for the environment.
It eliminates the emissions of pollutants that come from burning coal and oil. For the past 100 years electrical energy has been the lifeblood of our industrialized country and a major reason for our high productivity at work and creature comforts at home. The fear of global warming threatens the use of fossil fuels. Decades and billions of dollars of research have shown solar and wind power to be a pipedream. If we are to main an economy that is the envy of the world, a huge domestic supply of cheap, safe, and clean electricity is necessary.