Can Florida Revolutionize the Nuclear Energy Sector?

A new bill in the Sunshine State’s legislature seeks to streamline the approval process for constructing nuclear reactors.

Advanced nuclear reactors are among the most promising technologies for providing large amounts of reliable electricity. Many designs are smaller, modular, and more flexible than traditional nuclear plants, making them easier to deploy across a range of applications. They can deliver stable power to meet increasing electricity demand and improve grid reliability. Power-hungry data centers that need dependable power and have emission goals are eager for the United States to build more nuclear facilities. 

More than a dozen advanced reactor companies have emerged, backed by billions of dollars in venture capital. Over 100 small modular reactor (SMR) designs and technologies exist worldwide. However, the nuclear renaissance that proponents hoped for has not materialized at the speed or scale they envisioned. Several factors explain this, including relatively steady electricity demand, cheap natural gas, and declining costs of renewable energy. But a key reason is that policy has not kept pace with innovation.  

Read more in The National Interest here.