Idaho Environmental Forum #159
Examining Nuclear Power in Idaho

SPEAKERS

Dr. Ralph Bennett; Director, International and Regional Partnership,
Idaho National Laboratory.  

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Nuclear power is a stated option for the new administration, and a plant in Idaho would potentially be a first new plant in the West.  How will this happen, and what are the issues that need to be addressed?

There are now about 20 license applications for nuclear energy in the U.S., but all are in the South and East.  The Northwest and Idaho in particular are also growing short on energy, and several commercial projects have been proposed.  While a new nuclear plant would bring a reliable, long-term energy source and economic benefits to the region, it will raise concerns such as water use, nuclear waste, cost and safety that should be better understood in today's context.  Ralph Bennett, an expert on nuclear industry and technology at the INL, and a resident of Idaho for nearly 20 years, will probe a number of issues important to understanding modern nuclear plants and their potential and impacts in Idaho.