RE: A Future Powered by Purpose
Dear Editor, I agree with Diego Lopez’s recent “State of Affairs” column (A Future Powered by Purpose, 11/13/2024, Cibola Citizen) that advocates the importance of domestic uranium for US energy production.
The use of fission nuclear power to generate large scale 24-hour baseload electricity is essential at the present time. New state-of-the art reactor designs mitigate many of the risks associated with previous reactors. Safe small modular fission reactors are already being installed in other nations. One modular design pioneered by the US firm TerraPower is targeting 2030 to replace a coal/natural gas power plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming to be fueled by domestic uranium.
Tech companies developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are going to need vast amounts of energy. One such company has arranged to buy all the electricity generated by a renovated Three Mile Island reactor for 20 years, again using domestic uranium.
Geothermal energy is an option in some locations. Germany has contracted with Eavor, a Canadian company to build a deep well continuous closed loop power plant. Eavor technology was refined in the boot heel of NM when they drilled an 18,000-foot shaft in 2022. (Could it work at the closed Escalante power station?)
Demand for electricity is increasing. Someday in the distant future, fusion reactors will be able to safely meet global energy needs. But until then, we should make use of all available clean energy sources, including nuclear fission technologies using domestic uranium to provide clean energy.
Harry Sheski