The U.S./E.C. study on social and environmental costs of electrical generation

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

OSTI ID:89192

Williams, K A ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

The social/political environment in Western Europe and the United States has increasingly mandated that both utilities and their regulators account for social and environmental costs when planning for new electrical power generation capacity. Such an accounting must capture cost components outside the usual {open_quotes}internal{close_quotes} costs such as capital, operating, fuel, and decommissioning expenses. Examples of the {open_quotes}external{close_quotes} social/environmental costs that must be projected are damages or benefits to the health of the human population and other biota in the site region. Other considerations include damage to property, buildings and roads, energy security, employment benefits, and the consequences of possible accidents. In many U.S. states, approval of new-generation capacity requires that the economic analysis performed by the regulators include such external costs or {open_quotes}externalities.{close_quotes} Such consideration has become part of the larger integrated resource planning process now used in many U.S. states to ensure that systemwide environmental concerns are addressed prior to power plant construction. A methodology is addressed to identify information needs for the development of external costs of the nuclear fuel cycle.

• OSTI ID: 89192
• Report Number(s): CONF-941102--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 71; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
COST
DECONTAMINATION
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FUEL CYCLE
HEALTH HAZARDS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REMEDIAL ACTION