The Akron Legal News

Association pushes for use of thorium-fueled nuclear power plants in Ohio

TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: April 28, 2015

The Thorium and Molten Salt Reactor Association has backed Reps. Nan Baker and Terry Boose in their quest to establish a sustainable energy-abundance plan for the state to meet its future energy needs with affordable, abundant and environmentally-friendly energy.

On behalf of the association, Donald Larson told members of the House Public Utilities Committee that for “far too long the discussion in political circles has been about shrinking the pool of resources, constraining the economy and giving up on the American dream of a bolder, brighter future.”

“You are not doing that,” he said. “Throughout the history of human civilization, every time mankind learns to master a new, plentiful energy resource, our standard of living and life expectancy increases.”

Larson said fire was the first breakthrough and then pointed to coal and the steam cycle as the next innovation that gave birth to the industrial revolution and created modern society.

He said oil was the next breakthrough providing a pumpable, portable energy source that transformed transportation.

“Today, the innovations in shale gas extraction are in the news continuously. The benefit to land owners, drillers and gas equipment manufacturers is evident,” he said.

“The price of oil is at a two-year low and the benefit is now hitting consumers. More importantly, though, is the secondary effect here in Ohio on manufacturing companies that are energy intensive. The falling prices of energy has made Ohio competitive on the world stage for plastics and polymers.”

House Concurrent Resolution 9, sponsored by Baker, R-Westlake, and Boose, R-Norwalk, opens by stating Ohio has many finite natural energy resources.

“World energy demand and usage are expected to increase and solar and wind energy technologies are not expected to provide future and abundant base-load power or peaking energy-on-demand power affordably,” the measure reads.

“Extending Ohio’s current energy boom will rest in creating a long-term energy plan and developing clean and affordable energy technologies such as liquid core molten salt reactors and small modular reactors.”

HCR 9 notes that America has a nearly inexhaustible supply of thorium and uranium that dramatically exceeds all known potential energy reserves, including those of renewable energy.

“The nation has a growing population and an aging population,” Larson said.

“Budget pressures are testing the ability of governments at all levels to provide services.”

Larson said the best defense is a growing, dynamic economy.

“The movement of manufacturing jobs from overseas to Ohio shows that increased, inexpensive energy makes that happen,” he said.

“How do we add productivity to every level of society? More energy. How do we cut unemployment and build long-term stable jobs? More energy. How do we raise more revenue and generate wealth? More energy.”

With global energy demand projected to increase by more than 30 percent by 2040, Boose said there is agreement that both the U.S. and global economies must acquire additional energy sources in coming decades to provide for future economic growth.

“While Ohio is well-positioned with large reserves of fossil fuel resources and a developing renewable energy industry, unlocking new sources of energy remains crucial to meeting future energy demand,” he said, adding that energy produced from liquid fluoride thorium reactors or LFTR is “often overlooked but critically important.”

Boose said LFTR technology, a type of nuclear power production which utilizes the element thorium instead of traditional uranium as its fuel source, could play a prominent role in meeting Ohio and America’s future energy needs.

“LFTR technology could represent the scientific breakthrough that could fulfill our future energy needs with energy that is safe, plentiful, affordable and sustainable,” he said.

“A primary concern of the general public regarding nuclear energy is safety. Following accidents at the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear power plants, concerns understandably persist over the safety of traditional uranium-fueled nuclear power facilities.”

It is believed that thorium-fueled LFTR power plants would alleviate many safety concerns.

“Along with their inherent safety, thorium-fueled reactors rely upon an abundant, readily-available fuel source,” Boose said.

“Thorium is three to four times more abundant than uranium in nature and can even be recovered in burnt coal ash. It is estimated that the United States possesses over 434,000 tons of thorium, with other proven reserves spread across the globe.”

And while traditional nuclear power plants utilize a fraction of their uranium fuel source, leaving a substantial supply of nuclear waste, Boose said LFTR reactors are highly efficient in utilizing their thorium fuel source.

“The relative abundance of thorium will allow for thorium-generated energy to be cost effective,” he said.

HCR 9 states that it is incumbent upon Ohio lawmakers to be forward-thinking in addressing the future energy challenges for the next generation of Ohioans.

“The benefits of LFTR technology appear obvious, leading some to wonder why the technology is not broadly utilized today,” Boose said, adding that the technology is not a theory and has been in existence since the 1950s.

“However, due to military considerations at the time (LFTRs cannot be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium and uranium), thorium technology was largely abandoned by the late 1960s.”

While considerable public funds have been invested into other forms of energy development in the last 50 years, Boose said there has been little research and development of LFTR technology.

With global energy demand projected to rise, thorium could make a return to large-scale power generation.

“China, France, Japan, India and the Netherlands are all pursuing LFTR technology while the U.S. sits dormant. The United States cannot afford to sit on the energy sidelines as global competitors unlock the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow,” Boose said.

“This resolution is a small, simple attempt to bring the discussion on thorium into the limelight and to ignite a genuine debate about the direction of Ohio and the nation’s energy future.”

HCR 9 is co-sponsored by Reps. Jim Buchy, Andrew Thompson, Mark Romanchuk, John Becker, Louis Blessing III, Tony Burkley, Andrew Brenner, Steven Kraus and Rick Perales.

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