Nuclear energy provides a substantial portion of our electricity supply, but remains controversial due to fear of accidents as well as the more practical issue of disposal of radioactive waste. Both are legitimate concerns which have sometimes been blown out of proportion.

As the search goes on for more clean energy sources, nuclear offers great promise, as it produces energy on a continuous basis using a small amount of fuel. The biggest obstacle to expanding nuclear generation is the long lead time and high cost of reactors using current technology. Promising pathways include modular reactors, smaller systems that can be factory-built and installed in multiples at a suitable site, and micro-reactors, even smaller units that could be trucked into a disaster area or small city.