Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge: 

1AC – Plan

Plan: The United States federal government should substantially increase production cost incentives to build small modular nuclear reactors in the United States.

Contention 1 is Inherency –

Lack of financing prevents construction of small modular nuclear plants in the status quo

Domenici and Meserve 10 [Pete V. Domenici and Dr. Richard Meserve – Bipartisan Policy Center, “Letter to Chairman Jaczko – Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission”, April 6th, 2010, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/NRC%20Licensing%20Review.pdf, Chetan]

In summary, we found that, while many of the stakeholders have encountered some

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a bigger obstacle to nuclear plant construction at the moment than licensing issues.

Nuclear expansion is inevitable – it’s only a question of time and tech

Wallace, 12 – senior adviser with the U.S. Nuclear Energy Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (Michael, with Sarah Williams, research associate, 2/8. “2012 Global Forecast: Risk, Opportunity, and the Next Administration.” http://issuu.com/csis/docs/2012_global_forecast)

America’s nuclear energy industry is in decline. Low natural gas prices, financing hurdles

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.S. nuclear industry and take action to prevent its early demise. 

1AC – Nuke Leadership

Contention 2 is Nuclear Leadership – 

US nuclear leadership is in terminal decline – countries are looking to expand nuclear use now. Federal action to revitalize our domestic industry is the only way to manage new reactor security and proliferation risks internationally by setting global norms

Wallace and Williams 12 [MICHAEL WALLACE is a senior adviser leading the U.S. Nuclear Energy Project at CSIS. He is a member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC), which advises the president on matters related to homeland security, and a member of the Board of Directors for Baltimore Gas and Electric, SARAH WILLIAMS is program coordinator and research associate in the U.S. Nuclear Energy Project at CSIS, she was a Herbert Scoville Jr. peace fellow and program coordinator at the Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, “Nuclear Energy in America: Preventing its Early Demise”, 2012, http://csis.org/files/publication/120405_GF_Final_web-sm.pdf, Chetan]

America’s nuclear energy industry is in decline. Low natural gas prices, financing hurdles

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.S. nuclear industry and take action to prevent its early demise. 

Small modular reactors establish the US as a leader in nuclear tech

Rosner and Goldberg 11 – William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics at the University of Chicago, and Special Assistant to the Director at the Argonne National Laboratory (Robert and Stephen, November. “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.” https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

As stated earlier, SMRs have the potential to achieve significant greenhouse gas emission reductions

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Japan, Korea, Russia, and, now rapidly emerging, China.

This is especially true for small reactors – countries are looking to follow the NRC’s lead in new technical standards and operations for SMRs

Lovering et al 12 [Jessica Lovering, Ted Nordhaus, and Michael Shellenberger are policy analyst, chairman, and president of the Breakthrough Institute, a public policy think tank and research organization. “Out of the Nuclear Closet”, September 7th, 2012,http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/09/07/out_of_the_nuclear_closet, Chetan]

To move the needle on nuclear energy to the point that it might actually be

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than developing the nuclear technologies we will need to get that job done.

And new nuclear power plants risk nuclear anarchy – without effective management, global prolif is inevitable

Macalister 9 [Jerry Macalister – journalist for the Guardian, “New Generation Of Nuclear Power Stations ’Risk Terrorist Anarchy’”, March 16^th, 2009, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/16/nuclearpower-nuclear-waste, Chetan]

The new generation of atomic power stations planned for Britain, China and many other

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to build new nuclear plants in Britain declined to comment on the issue.

SMR’s are prolif resistant – multiple features

Kuznetsov 8 – former Lead Researcher at the Kurchatov Institute (Russia) (Vladimir, March-August. “Options for small and medium sized reactors (SMRs) to overcome loss of economies of scale and incorporate increased proliferation resistance and energy security” Progress in Nuclear Energ Vol 50 issues 2-6, p 248. ScienceDirect)

For many less developed countries, these are the features of enhanced proliferation resistance and

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/Pu ratio needed to achieve this still needs to be defined adequately.

New and rapid proliferators are uniquely destabilizing – offensive posturing, launch on warning, poor control

Horowitz 9 – professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania (Michael, The Spread of Nuclear Weapons and International Conflict: Does Experience Matter?,” Journal of Conflict Resolution, 53.2, Apr 09 pg. 234-257)

Learning as states gain experience with nuclear weapons is complicated. While to some extent

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war, the balance of power, and the preferences of the adopter.

Proliferation compounds the risk of nuclear war which eliminate the majority of the world’s population

Toon et al 7­—Professor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at University of Colorado

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Vol. 315. no. 5816, pp. 1224-1225]

The world may no longer face a serious threat of global nuclear warfare, but

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the greatest dangers to the stability of society since the dawn of humans.

1.       Prolif is fast – breakdown of norms

Blechman, 8 – Stimson Center Co-Founder, Stimson Center Nuclear Disarm Distinguished Fellow, Ph.D. (Barry, 9/29. “Nuclear Proliferation: Avoiding a Pandemic.”http://www.stimson.org/books-reports/nuclear-proliferation-avoiding-a-pandemic/)

There is serious risk that the international agreements and processes that have kept the number

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bold actions to move eventually to a world completely free of nuclear weapons.

Deterrence doesn’t solve – the increased number of nuclear states means that risk of breakdown and accidents is high

Shultz et al 11 – secretary of state from 1982 to 1989 (George P, with William J. Perry, secretary of defense 1994-1997; Henry A. Kissinger, secretary of state 1973-1977; and Sam Nunn, former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. 3/7/11. “Deterrence in the Age of Nuclear Proliferation” Wall Street Journal. http://www.nonukes.nl/media/files/2011-03-07-gang-of-four-tnw.pdf)

As a result, nuclear deterrence was useful in preventing only the most catastrophic scenarios

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a priority. Further steps must include short‐range tactical nuclear weapons.

New proliferators will be uniquely destabilizing – guarantees escalation.

Cimbala, 8  (Stephen, Distinguished Prof. Pol. Sci. – Penn. State Brandywine, Comparative Strategy, “Anticipatory Attacks: Nuclear Crisis Stability in Future Asia”, 27, InformaWorld)

If the possibility existed of a mistaken preemption during and immediately after the Cold War

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could overturn these expectations for the obsolescence or marginalization of major interstate warfare.

1AC – Warming

2.       Newest and BEST studies show that warming is real and anthropogenic - skeptics are converting

Muller 12 (Richard A., professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former MacArthur Foundation fellow, “The Conversion of a Climate-Change Skeptic,” 7-28-12,http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/the-conversion-of-a-climate-change-skeptic.html?_r=2andpagewanted=all)

CALL me a converted skeptic. Three years ago I identified problems in previous climate

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satellite measurements that solar activity changes the brightness of the sun very little.

It’s the most likely scenario for extinction

Deibel 7 [Terry L. Professor of IR at National War College, 2007 “Foreign Affairs Strategy: Logic for American Statecraft”, Conclusion: American Foreign Affairs Strategy Today]

Finally, there is one major existential threat to American security (as well as

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States, but potentially to the continued existence of life on this planet.

Climate change acts as a conflict multiplier – social unrest, civil war and political crises will all escalate as a result of changes in the environment

Brzoska et al 12 [Michael Brzoska - Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy

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Violent Conflict”, Science 18 May 2012: 869-871, Chetan]

Long-term historical studies tend to find a coincidence between climate variability and armed

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identify opportunities and coherent strategies to address societal challenges related to climate change.

3.       Warming is still reversible – it’s not past the tipping point yet – this decade is key – consensus of scientists prove

Chestney 12 (Nina, “Global warming close to becoming irreversible-scientists”, 3/26,http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/us-climate-thresholds-idUSBRE82P0UJ20120326)

The world is close to reaching tipping points that will make it irreversibly hotter,

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, said Jeremy Bentham, the firm's vice president of global business environment.

And only a rapid and global expansion of nuclear power can help us reach carbon targets

Harvey 12 [Fiona Harvey – Environmental Correspondent for the Guardian, “Nuclear power is only solution to climate change” – citing Jeffrey Sachs: Director of the Earth Institute and professor of sustainable development at Columbia, May 3rd, 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/03/nuclear-power-solution-climate-change, Chetan]

Combating climate change will require an expansion of nuclear power, respected economist Jeffrey Sachs

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are much more powerful than the arithmetic of climate scientists," he said.

SMR’s are key – the only design technologically advanced enough that can be deployed in developing countries

Rosner and Goldberg, 11 – William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics at the University of Chicago, and Special Assistant to the Director at the Argonne National Laboratory (Robert and Stephen, November. “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.”https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

Nuclear power occupies a unique position in the debate over global climate change as the

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analysis would be   done shortly that will address the relative competitiveness of SMRs.

1AC – Solvency

Contention 4 is Solvency –

Government incentives are vital – only route to commercialization of SMRs

Rosner and Goldberg 11 (William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics at the University of Chicago, and Special Assistant to the Director at the Argonne National Laboratory (Robert and Stephen, November. “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.” https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

Assuming that early SMR deployments will carry cost premiums (until the benefits of learning

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that could form the basis for further dialogue between stakeholders and policy makers.

Providing production cost incentives solves and alleviates cost overruns

Rosner and Goldberg 11 (William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in the Departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Physics at the University of Chicago, and Special Assistant to the Director at the Argonne National Laboratory (Robert and Stephen, November. “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.” https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

Production Cost Incentive: A production cost incentive is a performance-based incentive.

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of the size of production incentives required for the FOAK plants described earlier.

Federal action is crucial to encourage private investing by controlling risk factors that cause regulatory delays

Gale et al 9 (Kelley Michael, Finance Department Chair – Latham and Watkins, “Financing the Nuclear Renaissance: The Benefits and Potential Pitfalls of Federal and State Government Subsidies and the Future of Nuclear Power in California,” Energy Law Journal, Vol. 30, p. 497-552, http://www.felj.org/docs/elj302/19gale-crowell-and-peace.pdf)

In a similar fashion, regulatory risk insurance and loan guarantees provided by the federal

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it can be adapted to best encourage private sector financing for nuclear energy. 

SMRs will be online within the decade – subsequent plants will be developed even faster

Coyne 10 [Philip D Coyne - 2010 WISE Intern - B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences/Sponsored by the American Nuclear Society, “Addressing How Light Water Small Modular Reactors Should be Licensed”, July 29th, 2010, http://www.wise-intern.org/journal/2010/PhilipCoyneWISE2010.pdf, Chetan]

It was analyzed in the previous section that the maximum amount of time for the

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and the author does not have enough analysis to make any solid recommendations.

View their solvency arguments with skepticism – anti-nuclear propaganda from the fossil fuel industry permeate the media, finance and governmental approaches to nuke power

Adams 9-12 [Rod Adams gained his nuclear knowledge as a submarine engineer officer and as the founder of a company that tried to develop a market for small, modular reactors from 1993-1999. “Plutonium power for the people”, September 12th, 2012, http://theenergycollective.com/rodadams/111941/plutonium-power-people, Chetan]

One of the biggest threats to the continued wealth and power held by the global

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the other atmospheric pollution produced by burning stuff dug out of the ground.