Tournament:  | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge: 

1AC – Inherency

Contention 1 is Inherency –

Financial barriers are killing nuclear power in the status quo – investors agree that financing is a bigger hurdle than NRC regulations

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, ….licensing issues.

1AC – Nuke Leadership

Contention 2 is Harms –

Advantage 1 is Nuclear Leadership –

US nuclear leadership is in terminal decline – dozens of countries are looking to expand nuclear energy projects but won’t look to the United States for regulatory guidance. Federal action to revitalize our domestic industry is the only way to manage new reactor security and proliferations 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 …. to prevent its early demise. 

Small modular reactors establish the US as a leader in reactor design and manufacturing and recapture leadership in nuclear technology

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 …., 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.

SMRs 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.

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.

1AC – Warming

Advantage 2 is Warming –

Warming is real and human induced – emissions reductions are key to avoid dangerous climate disruptions

Somerville 11 [Richard Somerville - Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Research Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, Coordinating Lead Author in Working Group I for the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 3-8-2011, "CLIMATE SCIENCE AND EPA'S GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS," CQ Congressional Testimony, Lexis, Chetan]

In early 2007, at the time of the publication of WG1 of AR4,

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next five to ten years, reaching near zero well within this century.

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.

No offense – increase in CO₂ will overall lead to decrease in crop production and cause global starvation

Strom 7 [Robert Strom, Professor Emeritus of planetary sciences in the Department of Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona, 2007 (studied climate change for 15 years, the former Director of the Space Imagery Center, a NASA Regional Planetary Image Facility, "Hot House", SpringerLink, p. 211-216]

Agriculture is critical to the survival of civilization. Crops feed not only us but

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starvation, and political and economic chaos with all their ramifications for civilization.

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.

Try or die – without nuclear power warming is inevitable

Lynas 9-14 [Mark Lynas – Climate Scientist for The Guardian, "Without nuclear, the battle against global warming is as good as lost", September 14th, 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/14/nuclear-global-warming, Chetan]

Let me be very clear. Without nuclear, the battle against global warming is

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That will devastate ecosystems and societies worldwide on a scale which is unimaginable.

And small reactor designs enable nuke power to offset as much CO₂ as every car in America

Whitman 8-13 [Christine Todd Whitman CASEnergy Co-Chair, Former EPA Administrator and New Jersey Governor, "Nuclear Power Garners Bipartisan Support", August 13th, 2012, http://energy.nationaljournal.com/2012/08/finding-the-sweet-spot-biparti.php, Chetan]

This support is founded in the fact that nuclear energy, safely managed, provides

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– as much CO2 as is emitted by every passenger car in America.

SMRs spur renewable development, and integrate all energy sources into the grid

Ruth et al 11 [Mark Ruth, Mark Antkowiak, and Scott Gossett – The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis: on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the University of Colorado-Boulder, the Colorado School of Mines, the Colorado State University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University - A Report Prepared for the United States Department of Energy, "Nuclear and Renewable Energy Synergies Workshop: Report of Proceedings", December 2011, http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/52256.pdf, Chetan]

The U.S. Energy Freedom Center represents the end-state vision of

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to ancillary services like water purification, district heating, and hydrogen production.

Specifically, the plan is able to integrate into smaller electrical markets

King et al 11 [Marcus King • LaVar Huntzinger • Thoi Nguyen – CNA Environment and Energy Team - Resource Analysis Division, "Feasibility of Nuclear Power on US Military Installations", March 2011, http://www.cna.org/sites/default/files/research/Nuclear%20Power%20on%20Military%20Installations%20D0023932%20A5.pdf, Chetan]

SMRs have potential advantages over larger plants because they provide owners more flexibility in financing

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[3]. SMRs would be a viable replacement option for these plants.

This allows for global energy transition– ideally suited for developing countries

Solan et al 10 – Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration and Director of the Energy Policy Institute at Boise State University (David, June. "Economic and Employment Impacts of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors." Energy Policy Institute, Center for Advanced Energy Studies. http://epi.boisestate.edu/media/3494/economic%20and%20employment%20impacts%20of%20smrs.pdf)

The primary obstacle for many developing countries lies in their lack of available resources to

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regarding transport and emplacement of SMRs in remote areas of some developing countries.

1AC – Plan

Thus the Plan: The United States federal government should substantially increase production cost incentives for and reduce restrictions on small modular nuclear power in the United States

1AC – Solvency

Contention 3 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. 

Federal investment key to ensure investor confidence in the licensing process

Wallace, 5 – President, Constellation Generation Group (Mike, 4/26. CQ Congressional Testimony, "NUCLEAR POWER 2010 INITIATIVE" Lexis)

The Department of Energy's Nuclear Power 2010 program is a necessary, but not sufficient

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is a necessary and appropriate investment in U.S. energy security.

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.