New York, United States, 14 August- This week SCE&G announced that one of the US’ first nuclear power plants to be built in three decades was running under budget, although there were some delays, leading to a collective applause from the industry

Only a few years ago many were celebrating the launch of the nuclear renaissance, but since the explosion of cheap natural gas, leadingutilities’ interest has cooled considerably. But with SCE&G now estimating that the VC Summer reactors are $550 million below initial forecasts in 2009, there is considerable cause for optimism.

In a recent interview with Nuclear Energy Insider, Ronald Jones, Vice President, New Nuclear Operations at South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. stated that ‘with a project of this scale, it is not unusual to have some schedule challenges along the way for a variety of reasons. That’s why we have a sound plan in place, and we have been working the plan effectively to manage first-of-its-kind challenges that inherently come with the first new nuclear construction projects in the country in three decades.’

On the competition from natural gas, Jones suggests that ‘any prudent evaluation of generation options must consider more than just the construction costs associated with those options.’ Apart from omissions concerns with natural gas plants, price fluctuations remain uncertain, an issue nuclear energy does not present.

In the same report, CEO of URENCO USA, Gregory Smith, added that ‘the nuclear renaissance in the United States is not dead. It’s not proceeding as quickly as we hoped 8 years ago, however, it is alive.’

This opinion is most certainly backed up by the recent news coming from South Carolina.

Nuclear Energy Insider’s ‘Nuclear Construction: Trends in 2013 and beyond’ whitepaper includes insight from Ronald Jones, Vice President, New Nuclear Operations at South Carolina Electric & Gas Co., Gregory Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer, URENCO USA and Jim Little, Chairman of the Carolinas’ Nuclear Cluster. It includes in-depth analysis addressing current competition from natural gas, the SMR opportunity and key takeaways from the international market.

To read the full whitepaper free of charge simply download it now by clicking here - See more at: https://www.reutersevents.com/nuclear/new-build/nuclear-construction-pro...