Nuclear Energy, the Environment and Proliferation, Y45.2420 at NYU taught by Chris Gadomski

New York University
M.S. Program in Global Affairs
Nuclear Energy, the Environment and Proliferation, Y45.2460
Spring 2011, Monday, 6:30-9:10pm
January 14, 2011

INSTRUCTOR: Chris Gadomski
http://www.smidirect.net/nyu
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays by appointment
OFFICE PHONE:914.993.9060
E-mail:gadomski@nyu.edu

Course Objective

There are many twists and turns in global affairs and in the climate change discussion. Perhaps none is as controversial as nuclear energy. It is the largest source of carbon-free electricity the world puts to use today and yet many question the technology's safety, its cost, and what to do with spent nuclear fuel. And then there is the issue of nuclear proliferation. All of these issues are coming more clearly into focus as there is wide spread discussion of a global nuclear renaissance. As energy and environment students of global affairs, is a global nuclear renaissance welcome?

This course examines the history of nuclear energy and its evolution from its military origins to its role today as a significant generator of carbon-free electricity. Given global concerns over carbon dioxide, to what extent will the industrial world deploy this technology as a weapon again increasing CO2 levels. Or will other technologies like fossil fuel carbon capture and storage or renewable solar, wind and geothermal technologies usher nuclear aside? What are the institutional, social, technical, economic, environmental and political benefits and obstacles to nuclear energy?

In examining its current and future role in the electrical power infrastructure, the course will start with a review of the technology's evolution from its military origins and finish with an expansive discussion of nuclear weapons proliferation threats in the Middle East, and in the rest of the world. How did we get from the Manhattan project to 439 nuclear power plants operating in the world today, with dozens more under construction in several countries around the world?

During the semester, the course will explore the physics of nuclear fission and how today's nuclear power plants generate electricity. What is the difference between a BWR (boiling water reactor) and a PWR (pressurized water reactor)? What new technologies loom ahead such as HTGC (high temperature gas cooled) and SMR (small modular reactors) and for what different applications and markets will they be used? Will the world's installed base of nuclear generating facilities grow in the future, or will other renewable technologies displace nuclear as the largest generator of carbon-free electricity? If nuclear grows, will any technology dominate? What markets will dominate?

Driving all of these discussions are four essential questions: 1) Can the deployment of nuclear energy address rising global levels of carbon dioxide? 2) Is the technology safe? 3) Is it economic?, and 4) Can it be deployed without proliferation risk?

Other environmental aspects of nuclear power will be addressed specifically the issue of nuclear waste. What are the pros and cons of spent fuel management via storage in an underground repository like the proposed/cancelled/delayed Yucca Mountain repository. What is the physics of spent fuel radiation and the half life of radioactive elements from nuclear spent fuel that requires a million year repository design lifetime? As an alternative, we will also examine the pros and cons of reprocessing spent fuel with a closer look at the companies and countries where spent fuel is being reprocessed.

Other issues examined include:
• Is there enough uranium to fuel a nuclear renaissance? If not, what alternatives exist?
• Which countries are leading the nuclear renaissance? Why?
• How real is the threat of proliferation? How does it happen? How can we stop it?
• Nuclear energy as a solution to the world's fresh water needs.
• Three mile Island & Chernobyl? What happened and why? How real is the threat of another mishap?

This course aims to, as all of my courses do, to immerse you into an analysis of the technology, data and economics surrounding nuclear power. Be prepared to delve deeply into the numbers so that you can argue the case for or against with a quantitative background to support your thinking. I will challenge you to think critically about energy and the environment and how nuclear energy can become a part of the solution to global warming and climate change. Accordingly, I want you to be comfortable being able to quantify what is happening to the environment, and how from a CO2 perspective, nuclear can be part of the solution. At the same time, if nuclear energy poses a nuclear weapons proliferation threat, is this alleged tonic for climate change more dangerous than the global warming problems it is designed to help resolve.

Course Structure

We will learn about energy and its impact on the environment through class lectures, a focused reading list, independent research and class discussion. We start with great books and the daily newspapers that will form the foundation for our class lectures and discussions. We will complete our course with a semester-long individual project that will examine real world energy/environment issues in an in-depth and quantifiable way.

An important goal of this class will be a trip to a nuclear power plant. Doing so is always a logistical and scheduling challenge, and due to increased security measures may not always be possible. Please be advised that a trip outside the area may involve additional travel costs. I will advise accordingly.

Required Reading

A book list has not been provided to the bookstore. For a direct link to Amazon, visit: http://www.smidirect.net/nyu/books_nuclear.html

• Gawdat Bahgat, Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East, (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2006) ISBN 978-0-8130-3316-7
• Helen Caldicott, Nuclear Power is not the Answer, (New York: The New Press, 2006) ISBN 978-1-59558-067-2
• The Global Nuclear Future, Vol 1 & 2, published by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences http://www.amacad.org/publications/daedalus/fall2009/coverPage.aspx (Online articles are available free of charge through the NYU Library, search Daedalus)
• John Hershey, Hiroshima (Bantan Press 1968) Available as .pdf http://ia700300.us.archive.org/6/items/hiroshima035082mbp/hiroshima035082mbp.pdf
• Sharon Squassoni, Nuclear Energy: Rebirth or Resuscitation?, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, download from www.CarnegieEndowment.org http://www.carnegieendowment.org/files/nuclear_energy_rebirth_resuscitation.pdf
• Nuclear Energy Today, (Paris: OECD Publications, 2003) ISBN 92-64-10328-7, available at www.nea.fr/html/pub/nuclearenergytoday/welcome.html
• Tom Zoellner, Uranium, (New York: Penguin Books, 2009) ISBN 978-0-14-311672-1
• The Wall Street Journal, or The Financial Times, or The New York Times. Bring relevant articles to each class for discussion.

Class Preparation

See class calendar for class topics/assignments. http://www.smidirect.net/nyu/fall 2010 nuc cal.html Be prepared for every class, as I will open each class by asking you to summarize the topic of the day and to relate news stories you have clipped to present or past discussions. If you are not prepared, letting me know ahead of time will save us both some embarrassment. 25% of your grade will be from class participation and discussion, and to get an “A” in this class you need to be a vocal and enlightened contributor. It is important that you read the material before class and voice your opinions in class. I will routinely post supplementary material to the class home page or to the NYU blackboard. Check regularly. I intend to give a mid-term and a final, but may substitute a group assignment.

Your Grade

I will grade you on the following each worth 33%.

• Class Attendance and Participation,
• Midterm/Final
• Semester Project Papers/ Presentation

Course Project

You will have the opportunity to explore one aspect of nuclear energy in detail through a ten-page individual research project. Please pick from one of the following topics to explore in detail, providing me with a first and second choice by the start of the second class. Feel free to team up. If you do so, expect to make a presentation.

1-Demand for electricity and concerns over carbon have been driving interest in nuclear power. Water scarcity is another driver. Pick a global region and assess the need for deaslination and whether nuclear technologies represent a viable option.

2-China plans 200 reactors by 2030. From where will the uranium come? Is there a looming uranium shortage? Identify new countries and mines that have recently started production or wll shortly do so. Is there a looming global uranium shortage? Forecast uranium prices through 2030.

3-Nuclear waste, which is typically now stored on-site at nuclear power plants, poses a significant environmental challenge. It can be blasted into outer space, buried in deep geological structures or recycled. The Obama Administration has undermined the planned nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain and has assigned a blue ribbon panel to recommend alternatives. Imagine you are part of this panel and have been assigned the northeast region of the United States. Suggest at least three possible sites taking into consideration the social, technical, economic, environmental and political implications of doing so.

4-The former Soviet Union was the site of the world's worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A poor design was responsible for many of the problems. Yet today, Russia has an aggressive nuclear export program...does this make any sense? Explain what, if anything, has changed? Which new nuclear countries are likely to opt for Russian technology. Explain why.

5-India has the world's largest supply of thorium which is an alternative nuclear fuel to uranium. Assess the opportunities for nuclear in India and forecast market size there.

6-Small Modular Reactors represent a nuclear technology in which utilities are interested because of significantly reduced financial risk. Many politicians contend that many small nuclear reactors will lead to increased proliferation risk--especially in the Middle East. How great a concern is this?

7-Some renewable energy analysts contend that nuclear energy poses a threat to renewable energy. Pick two or three international markets and argue for or against.

Helpful Hints: The goal of this exercise is becoming an expert on a controversial aspect of the energy and environment debate. You must quantify your results as best as you can. This is not about theory; it is more about real world issues that can be quantified. I want you to immerse yourself in the numbers and in the technology. If you have any questions see me right away. Also, as this is a research paper, I expect you to consult and reference many different sources. Cite your references at the bottom of each page. I read them very carefully. Make sure you not only pay attention to the content of the paper, but also to how it is presented. A great idea or concept that is presented poorly is likely to fail more often that a poor concept presented brilliantly. In keeping with my responsibilities to improve your written and verbal communications skills, I expect the utmost in professionalism in writing these papers. Make sure you budget enough time. I do not accept late papers.

Getting It Done

All papers and assignments must be handed in in class, and a soft copy emailed to me.

Don’t be absent. Missing class will adversely affect your grade. Participate in class discussions—it is necessary for getting an A. Cite references in all of your class assignments..I read them carefully.

Please visit http://www.smidirect.net/nyu/index.htm this website will supplement the blackboard. Please download the student personal page, embed a picture and submit it during the next class.

It is the express policy of the class that no late assignments will be accepted under any circumstances. I expect each student to bear individual responsibility for his or her work and to uphold the ideal of academic integrity.

Regarding academic integrity…make sure not to plagiarize anyone else’s work either intentionally or unintentionally. Plagiarism is defined as using someone else's words or ideas without proper attribution. The proliferation of Web pages and electronic publications makes it easy for plagiarism, accidental or otherwise, to occur. When in doubt, make sure to include a full citation either as a footnote or as a reference at the end of the paper.

For example, the above three sentences were excerpted from the course syllabus of Masaaki Kotabe, The Washburn Chair of International Business and Marketing, Temple University, International Marketing (MKT 514).

I look forward to learning a lot with you and having fun this semester.

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New York University M.S. Program in Global Affairs Nuclear Energy, the Environment and Proliferation, Y45.2460 Spring 2011, Monday, 6:30-9:10pm January 14, 2011

INSTRUCTOR: Chris Gadomski http://www.smidirect.net/nyu OFFICE HOURS: Mondays by appointment OFFICE PHONE:914.993.9060 E-mail:gadomski@nyu.edu