Distinguished Lecture by Kelly

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES
NUCLEAR POWER
– THEN AND NOW
Dr. John E. Kelly
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactor Technologies
U.S. Department of Energy
Following President Eisenhower’s announcement of the Atoms for Peace initiative in December
1953, commercial nuclear power grew rapidly around the world. Within a few decades, nuclear
power became a major element of electricity production worldwide. Today, nuclear power
accounts for nearly 11% of global electricity production and 21% of electricity production in the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. However the momentum
from the Atoms for Peace initiative waned in the late 1980’s. It was only in the early 2000’s that
new nuclear power was again being considered, fueled by concerns about energy security and
climate change. Over the last 15 years we have seen dramatic changes in nuclear power worldwide.
From the licensing and construction of Gen III+ reactors (e.g., Westinghouse AP1000 and GE ESBWR), to
Small Modular Reactor development, to Generation IV nuclear energy systems research, the world is now
poised for a second wave of nuclear power deployment. Asian nations with rapidly developing economies
and large under-served populations will likely lead the resurgence of commercial nuclear power construction rather
than the traditional North American and Western European countries whose mature nuclear power programs are only looking at modest
growth. The International Energy Agency continues to see nuclear energy as an essential long-term supply option. Currently there are more
than 70 nuclear reactors under construction around the world, with at least 26 in China alone. The anticipated build out of Generation
IV reactor systems in the latter half of the century will ensure that enhanced sustainability and safety are incorporated in new nuclear
technology, while the ongoing deployment of Generation III systems will assure nuclear energy’s dominant role in emission-free baseload
electricity generation.
Dr. John E. Kelly’s presentation will reflect on the new developments in the nuclear energy industry, both domestically and internationally,
and project what is expected in the next wave.
Dr. Kelly is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Reactor Technologies in the Office of Nuclear Energy. His office is responsible for
the Department of Energy (DOE) civilian nuclear reactor research and development portfolio, which includes DOE’s programs on Small
Modular Reactors, Light Water Reactor sustainability, and Generation IV reactors. His office is also responsible for the design, development,
and production of radioisotope power systems, principally for NASA missions. In the international arena, Dr. Kelly chairs the Generation
IV International Forum and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Standing Advisory Group on Nuclear Energy.
Prior to joining the Department of Energy, Dr. Kelly spent 30 years at Sandia National Laboratories where he was engaged in a broad
spectrum of research programs in nuclear reactor safety, advanced nuclear energy technology, and national security. Dr. Kelly received his
B.S. in nuclear engineering from the University of Michigan in 1976 and his Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology in 1980.
4:10 pm
Monday, April 13
Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Building, room 1105
Reception to precede the lecture at 3:15 pm
in the building lobby.
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