Ensuring Climate Stability and Energy Independence
Whereas, Rhode Islanders are being price gouged by out of state energy providers. Rhode Island Energy supplies energy to 99%1 of Rhode Islanders. Rhode Island Energy is owned by Pennsylvania Power and Light, an out of state corporation, and is legally obligated to maximize the profit taken from Rhode Island families for the benefit of their shareholders;
Whereas, climate change is accelerating. The burning of fossil fuels to produce electricity is a major contributor to the damage being done to the Earth by humans. If nothing is done to reduce our carbon output, we will leave future generations with a dead planet. We require a solution to this problem before the planet reaches its tipping point;
Whereas, current forms of renewable energy - such as solar panels and wind turbines - are great alternatives to fossil fuels but they do not produce enough consistent energy to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. To enable Rhode Island to completely eliminate its dependency on fossil fuel sources we would require approximately 400 wind turbines and 7.7 million solar panels2. By contrast, a single nuclear plant would produce enough energy to power the entire state and allow Rhode Island to be energy independent;
Whereas, the greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear power plants are significantly less than any other sources of energy. Conventional energy sources produce hazardous air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and mercury, all of which are harmful to the environment and human health. Nuclear power has none of these byproducts, producing incredibly high amounts of clean energy around the clock. The greenhouse gas emissions of nuclear plants have a value of 6 tons per gigawatt-hour of energy produced. This is less than that of: coal - 970 tons, oil - 72 tons, natural gas - 440 tons, wind power - 11 tons, and solar - 53 tons3. Nuclear is able to achieve this because nothing is being burned, the plumes coming out of the cooling towers most people associate nuclear power plants with is just water vapor;
Whereas, the safety of nuclear power is significantly better than that of any other source of energy. The level of training and understanding of reactor operations that is required of the operators is second to none and despite concerns about accidents, modern reactor plant designs have many safeguards in place to prevent them from happening. Including past accidents, the death rate of nuclear energy is 0.03 deaths per terawatt-hour of energy produced; compared to 24.6 for coal, 18.4 for oil, 2.8 for natural gas, and 0.04 for wind power. One terawatt-hour is the amount of energy required to power 150,000 for an entire year. Additionally, it is only marginally higher than that of solar power, which is 0.02 deaths per terawatt-hour3;
Whereas, natural gas operated power plants supply 87%4 of the energy produced in the state of Rhode Island. The natural gas used for this form of energy production is depleting. With current consumption levels, the planet will run out of fossil fuels within 200 years. In contrast, improvements to nuclear enrichment and recycling will provide enough material to operate nuclear power plants for thousands of years;
Therefore be it resolved, Rhode Island DSA shall update the energy pillar of our electoral platform to push for climate stability and energy independence via public takeover of RI Energy and the future construction of a nuclear power plant in Rhode Island.
Be it resolved, we shall continue public education to allow for further understanding and discussion of the positives and negatives of nuclear power. This will take place on a recurring basis, approximately once a quarter.
Be it resolved, we will advocate for a public takeover of energy providers in the state and allow for the unionization of the workers that run the plants. It is antithetical to our beliefs as socialists that the ability to keep our lights on and homes warm is controlled by an out-of-state corporation for profit. The people deserve to have energy provided to meet the needs of Rhode Islanders, not profit.
Be it resolved, we will call for a lift on the moratorium against nuclear power in the state and for the construction of a publicly owned nuclear power plant in Rhode Island. We will ONLY push for these if the power plant is owned by the public and if there is no allowance for new fossil fuel plant construction. Currently, there is a moratorium against new power plants in the state, both nuclear and conventional; however, a simple legislative vote is required to lift this moratorium. There was once a vision for a technologically advanced, socialist society. A nuclear power plant that is democratically controlled and operated by the workers for the betterment of all, rather than the few, would bring us a giant leap closer to this dream. A single nuclear power plant would bring a tremendous source of clean energy to a state that desperately needs an alternative.
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