The University of Maryland has built a reputation around sustainability. The university has made climate commitments and shows itself as a responsible campus through programs like the greenhouse and campus farm.
When trying to lower emissions on campus, common angles are to increase solar panels or purchase carbon offsets. But what if UMD went a more nuclear approach to generating energy?
Only 50 miles away at Calvert Cliffs, there are already two nuclear power plants generating large amounts of carbon free energy for the state of Maryland. Those at Calvert Cliffs had previously planned a third, much larger reactor. This planned reactor would be twice the size and generate twice the amount of energy as the previous reactors. However, through political protest and financial challenges, the third reactor was never built. Looking at this today the urgency for clean energy and advancements in reactor safety paints the proposed reactor in a new light.
(Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant)
So should UMD act on this?
The answer to that isn’t straightforward but there are a few factors that indicate its a possibility. UMD wouldnt actually need to own, build or take liability for the reactor. The best method would be becoming a long term partner with an already established company. Including other large companies would be mutually beneficial as they will lower the potential risks, ensure the partnered company can get the loans necessary, and provide clean power to new data centers.
This risk would stem from a contract where UMD would be held responsible to purchase all the energy produced at a set price, for a determined amount of years. If the price of energy goes up UMD could sell its portion of the extra energy for hundreds of millions a year, but if the price of energy plummets UMD would need to pay that price.
If the worst does happen the cost would be spread across the partners lessening the blow. Additionally UMD would be the first college ever to be apart of a large scale reactor. This would drastically increase funding, workforce development grants, make UMD completely carbon neutral, and overall make it a more prestigious school.
How far is UMD willing to go to carve the future for itself?
Read more at:
https://www.calvertcountymd.gov/3207/Energy-Partners
https://www.eia.gov/nuclear/generation/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_Cliffs_Nuclear_Power_Plant
Writing About the Environment 