Micro Nuclear Reactors: Power and Profit Source For The Postpetrol World

Executive Summary Nuclear power entered this century as a dying industry. A combination of popular opposition, high profile accidents (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl), concerns about nuclear weapons proliferation, and a general anti-corporate feeling in the culture, all seemed to spell the end of fission as an industry. However, recent events have changed matters. High oil prices and global warming have made reactors much more attractive to the general public and investors. Moreover, reactor technology has advanced to the point where small, modular, and very safe reactors are now available. In particular, a new generation of High Temperature gas Reactors (HTR) using Pebble Bed designs are particularly promising. As such, companies which can directly or indirectly participate in the “micro-reactor” nuclear power industry stand to reap considerable profits.