Energy economics and politics may have derailed the “nuclear renaissance” and put operating plants in peril in the U.S. and elsewhere, but low natural-gas prices have accelerated a huge potential market—estimated at up to $200 billion—to clean up and take down nuclear facilities that are uncompetitive or at the end of their useful lives.
The market potential for D&D—decontamination and demolition—is compelling to industry firms with the skill and risk appetite for the work, as is the existence of federally required utility funding pools specifically set aside for the task, that firms say could eliminate aging structures quicker rather than have them sit idle for up to 50 while radioactivity decays.