As the world seeks low-carbon forms of energy production to
reduce the emissions blamed for global warming, the champions of
nuclear power have been re-branding the industry as one of the
world’s greenest. Last month, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency
said “nuclear energy is virtually carbon-free” across its life
cycle and “the only carbon-mitigating technology with a proven
track record on the scale required.” Now, more than two decades
after accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, some people
in the industry are backing a makeover for nuclear power
stations in an effort to transform the industry from an
industrial pariah to an environmental savior. EDF Energy, a
French nuclear operator, has arranged for presentations by
architectural firms to improve the visual impact of plants,
World Nuclear News, a news service for the industry, reported in
September. That move “lit hopes that improving the appearance of
new nuclear power plants could perhaps help to recreate some of
the excitement that surrounded nucl