Winter 2000/2001, Vol 25, No 4
Abstract: During the eight months from January to September 2000, a series of major events, coupled with historically high electricity demand and petroleum prices, have combined to alter dramatically the pessimistic view of the future role of nuclear power in the U.S. electricity industry held by many. A number of prescient authors foresaw these results, but not necessarily the sequence or timing of the causes. This manuscript briefly reviews the status of information about past and forecast market activity involving nuclear-fueled generating plants over the period 1997-1999, and then summarizes the events and market trends of the subsequent eight months as they impinge on the economic viability of nuclear power stations (NPS). The implications for continued reliance on nuclear power in the U.S. economy are then explored, with particular emphasis on the impact on the value of NPS.