nuclear weapons have been used in a hostile act since
1945.
A July 2010 Center for Naval Analysis (CNA) re-
port, titled Powering America’s Economy: Energy Inno-
vation at the Crossroads of National Security Challenges,
found that “America’s energy choices are inextricably
linked to national and economic security” (CNA 2010,
vii). As “the most revolutionary force since prehistoric
man’s discovery of fire” (Einstein 1946), nuclear en-
ergy is one of these energy choices. Its sustainability
affects the degree of its future impact on U.S. national
security.
The motivation for this chapter is to continue the
“great educational task” by examining U.S. national
security and sustainability considerations of nuclear
energy. As the source of 20 percent of U.S. electric en-
ergy generation, and 14 percent of worldwide electric
energy generation, nuclear energy is a strategic re-
source on both the national and international levels
(WNA 2011a). Nuclear energy is herein defined as en-
ergy produced from land-based nuclear reactors. The
principal application for terrestrial nuclear reactors is
the generation of electricity. Maritime or space-vehicle
propulsion reactors are excluded from this definition,
as are nuclear weapons. This chapter explores con-
siderations relevant to formulating national priorities
related to the future of this resource. National secu-
rity interest areas of energy independence, energy se-
curity, climate change, economics, public health and
safety, and nuclear terrorism and proliferation are
considered. Aspects of sustainability are considered
within each area. This work primarily examines do-
mestic nuclear energy, but considers facets of foreign
nuclear energy as well.
sharon
(sharon)
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