James B. Meigs in City Journal:
For almost a decade, supporters of nuclear power have been predicting a comeback for the beleaguered technology. “In recent years, some eco-pragmatists and climate scientists have begun touting the advantages of zero-carbon nuclear energy,” I wrote in City Journal in 2019. This movement of “pro-nuclear Greens,” as energy analyst Robert Bryce once dubbed them, has grown considerably since then. Many environmental groups have dropped their opposition to the technology. Nuclear power now commands bipartisan support in Congress, and the Trump and Biden administrations have both backed programs to develop and build next-generation reactors. Last fall, inveterate lefty Oliver Stone shocked audiences at the Venice Film Festival with a documentary, Nuclear, that makes a passionate case for the long-demonized power source.
Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine gave nuclear power another boost. Deprived of Russian natural gas, Europe’s energy grid faced a crisis that has only partially abated, thanks in part to unseasonably warm weather. Most analysts pointed to Germany’s long-running campaign to retire its nuclear fleet while investing heavily in wind and solar power as especially reckless.
More here.