Since the rapid build-up of nuclear power in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, nuclear power has provided about one-fifth of the country's electricity. This market share has been maintained by capacity upgrades and plant life extensions in the existing fleet of 104 U.S. reactors, despite decades when no new nuclear reactors have been constructed.

Today, an era of new plant construction seems possible. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing 11 applications for joint construction and operating licenses for 19 new nuclear reactors, motivated in part by strong incentives for the expansion of nuclear power provided by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The expansion of nuclear power worldwide is more advanced: 438 reactors are in operation currently and an additional 36 nuclear units are under construction. About half of these are being built in China, India, and Russia, where ambitious nuclear power programs are being pursued.

During a speech earlier this summer in Michigan, Senator McCain stated that he saw nuclear power as a clean, safe alternative to conventional sources of energy.

New reactor designs make plants safer than those operating in the days of the accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island decades ago. Further, he declared his support for the construction of a very ambitious 45 new nuclear power generators in the United States by 2030.

If these 1.5 gigawatt (very large) plants were to displace fossil-fueled power plants of the type currently operating in the United States, the nation's carbon dioxide emissions from electricity in 2030 could be reduced by almost 400 million metric tons. This would represent a 13 percent reduction of the GHG emissions from power production being forecast for that year.

Senator McCain's Web site on "Nuclear Security" outlines a series of initiatives to enhance nuclear security and prevent proliferation, including a commitment to increase funding for American nonproliferation efforts.

To prevent countries from using civilian nuclear programs as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons, Senator McCain would also limit the further spread of enrichment and reprocessing by supporting international guarantees of nuclear fuel supply to countries that renounce enrichment and reprocessing, by establishing international nuclear enrichment centers and by creating an international repository for spent nuclear fuel.

In contrast, Senator Obama argues that key issues must be addressed before the expansion of nuclear power is considered, including the security of nuclear fuel and waste, waste storage, and proliferation. These issues are not new and are currently being tackled by the nuclear industry.

Currently, it would appear that under the leadership of either candidate, the nuclear option remains open.

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