美国核能辩论现状与政策趋向分析

美国国内在是否利用核能发电这个问题上一直存在争议,拥核派和反核派的分歧主要是在核电成本是否高、核能是否安全以及核能是否属于清洁能源等方面。受日本核危机影响,美国核能辩论的重点转向核能安全,主要围绕核电站抵御自然灾害的能力、核废料储存、是否应该新建核电站以及延长现有核电站运营期限等问题展开。由于历次重大核事故后,新建核电站成本势必上升,加之美国各州新建核电站积极性不高,国际大环境也不利于拥核派,同时核能面临化石能源和可再生能源的激烈竞争,因此短期内美国核能开发步伐势必会放慢。但是从长期看,核能仍将是美国能源战略的重点之一,究其原因,发展核能是美国能源安全与经济发展的需要,也是应对气候变化的需要,另外,拥核派的积极游说和公关行动、反核派内部立场出现分化以及日本核危机的长期影响有限等也都是其原因之一。我国是世界上在建核反应堆数量最多的国家,但是围绕核能的公开辩论却很少,这不利于我国核能的开发。核能的辩论过程,也是核能知识普及的过程,只有对核能有深入全面的认识,才能减少对核能非理性的恐惧。我国绝不能因为一次核事故而改变战略方向,而应在吸取教训的基础上,在保证绝对安全的前提下,继续发展核能。

The Debate on Nuclear Power Use in US and Analysis of Policy Trends

The debate on whether nuclear energy should be used for generating electricity has never stopped in the United States.The opinions of advocates and opponents mainly differ in that whether the cost of nuclear power is high,whether nuclear power is safe and whether nuclear power is a clean energy source.Affected by Japan′s nuclear crisis,the focus of the nuclear debate in the United States has shifted to nuclear safety,mainly centering on the ability of nuclear power plants to resist natural disasters,the storage of nuclear wastes and the justification of adding nuclear power plants and extending the life of existing nuclear power facilities.Considering that the cost of building new nuclear power plants rose every time after a major nuclear incident,no state in the United States is very enthusiastic about adding nuclear power plants,the international atmosphere is to the disadvantage of the advocates of nuclear energy use,and that nuclear power is facing tense competition from fossil fuels and renewable energy sources,the United States will surely slow its pace of developing nuclear energy in the short term.In the long term,however,nuclear power will remain one of the key components of the United States′ energy strategy.Developing nuclear power is a need to ensure energy security and economic growth of the United States and is also a need to tackle climate change.In addition,the active lobby of the advocates,the division of stance among the opponents and the limited long-term impact of Japan′s nuclear crisis will all contribute to the use of nuclear power as a strategic energy source in the United States.China has the most nuclear reactors under construction worldwide.However,the open debate on nuclear energy use in China has been rare,which is not good to the country′s nuclear energy development.The debate on nuclear energy use is also a process in which the knowledge of nuclear energy is spread among the public.The irrational fear of nuclear energy use can only be reduced when people have a full and in-depth understanding of nuclear energy.China definitely should not change its strategy only because of a single nuclear incident;rather it should continue to develop nuclear power while learning from Japan′s lesson and ensuring absolute safety.