U.S. Bets on Small Nuclear Reactors to Help Fix a Huge Climate Problem
Other challenges loom. The United States isn’t yet producing enough of the specialized fuel for advanced reactors. There’s no long-term plan for nuclear waste. Siting new plants can be contentious: Last year, officials in Pueblo County, Colo., withdrew plans to replace a retiring coal plant with a reactor after local backlash.
But at a time when wind and solar are facing their own challenges, supporters say nuclear power is too important to abandon.