From NewsAdvance.com

By Bryan Gentry

Published: May 18, 2008

The construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States presents some problems the nation’s entrepreneurs could solve.

William Burchill, president-elect of the American Nuclear Society, said in Lynchburg last week that the huge need for a nuclear infrastructure presents an opportunity.

He said the first eight new nuclear plants alone will require 700,000 electrical components, 200,000 feet of pipe, and 20,000 high-quality valves.

Also, some plant designs depend on humongous steel tanks only manufactured in Japan.

For now, at least.

“They will come, for these first units, from overseas,” Burchill said. “This is an opportunity for an entrepreneur here in the United States to get into this business and open up some shops.”

The need to establish infrastructure to provide these components is one of the challenges the nuclear industry must meet if it is to become the major player it wants to be in the United States.

Burchill outlined those challenges and presented his hope for solutions in a speech to the Virginia section of the American Nuclear Society on Thursday in Lynchburg.

Other challenges include maintaining public and political support and finding ways to handle nuclear waste.

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