By JOHN SICILIANO • 7/26/15 12:01 AM
A new threat could be looming for consumers’ wallets, as the electric grid transitions from coal to natural gas, making nuclear power less economical, according to a new report on the economic benefits of nuclear energy.
“Absent nuclear, consumers would pay more for electricity, the economy would suffer both in terms of [gross domestic product] and jobs, and we would face substantially higher emissions of [carbon dioxide] and other pollutants,” the study finds, citing natural gas as a primary threat to nuclear’s survival. The study was done by the consulting firm Brattle for the pro-nuclear group Nuclear Matters.
The low cost of natural gas, due to a boon in shale gas production, has made nearly every other form or electricity less economical, undermining nuclear, renewables and coal-fired power.
