Energy Biz - July/August 2008 - (Page 8) » letters the key Unknown for nuclear new-build involves the labor workforce [May/June, “Wanted: Nuclear Engineers.”] Power utility owners understand the challenges in labor availability, compensation and productivity when designing and constructing large fossil-fueled plants today. The added challenge for the first new-build nuclear plants will be deploying a skilled labor workforce with the extra level of expertise required for constructing these types of facilities. One solution is to begin working now in the local high schools and colleges to inform the educators and students about the career opportunities available for skilled craft workers. We must put a process in place to train the new workers we attract. Fortunately, worker productivity will be improved due to enhanced computer and construction technologies, including modular construction techniques. In fact, it is estimated that only half the number of on-site construction personnel will be needed to build these new nuclear units when compared to the first-generation plants of the 1970s and 1980s. So the workforce challenges can be mitigated if specific actions are taken now to prepare for the coming nuclear renaissance. The benefits to U.S. consumers will be the production of safe, reliable, clean electricity at affordable prices to meet increasing demands. David Constable Group President, Power Fluor Corp. Irving, Texas following comments based on my experience and understanding. Initial focus on utility-scale solar generation should be on solar thermal not photovoltaic plants. PV-grade silicon is scarce and comes with high manufacturing costs, whereas thermal concentrators consist of cheap and readily available steel and glass. Thermal plants have a much higher net efficiency – reducing the area and number required. Thermal plant technology is a mature technology with proven reliability. A larger reduction of carbon dioxide per dollar per unit time can be installed and commissioned using large-scale solar thermal plants located in the Southwestern deserts than with use of PV technology. Habitat degradation, shading, and water consumption in the case of solar thermal steam plants are very important issues that need to be prioritized to the same level as discussions of technology and economics. John Ballam STEPS Engineering Wayland, Mass. EDItOR IN CHIEF Martin Rosenberg marty.rosenberg@energycentral.com 913 385 9909 CHIEF COPy EDItORs Don Bishop, Martha Collins sENIOR EDItORs Warren B. Causey, Ken Silverstein, William Opalka wcausey@energycentral.com 770 443 5866 ksilverstein@energycentral.com 304 345 5777 bill.opalka@energycentral.com 860 633 0090 NEWs EDItOR Rachel Rosebrook rachel.rosebrook@energycentral.com 303 782 5510 x139 FEatuRE WRItERs Lee Buchsbaum, Lisa Cohn, Darrell Delamaide, Richard Korman, Paul Korzeniowski, Pam Radtke Russell, Salvatore Salamone, Al Senia, Richard Schlesinger, Gary Stern CREatIVE DIRECtOR Jürgen Mantzke DEPuty aRt DIRECtOR Andrew Sternard PuBlIsHER Mark Johnson mark.johnson@energycentral.com 303 782 5510 x109 VICE PREsIDENt/MaRKEtINg Audra Drazga audra.drazga@energycentral.com 303 782 5510 x146 aCCOuNt EXECutIVEs Mike Elmer, Ken Maness, Jean Micketti, Larry Robinson sales@energycentral.com 303 782 5510 x100 aDVERtIsINg COORDINatORs Stephanie Wilson, Eric Swanson MaRKEtINg MaNagER Stephanie Fisher tECHNOlOgy MaNagER Dan Wilson CustOMER sERVICE Robert Young BIllINg Monica Coffey ENERGY CENTRAL www.energycentral.com PREsIDENt/CEO Steve Drazga CHIEF OPERatINg OFFICER Steven D. Solove VICE PREsIDENt/CONtENt Mark Johnson sENIOR VICE PREsIDENt/gROuP PuBlIsHER Tim L. Tobeck sENIOR VICE PREsIDENt/sIERRa ENERgy gROuP Mike Smith 2821 South Parker Road Suite 1105 Aurora, CO 80014 PHONE: 303 782 5510 FaX: 303 782 5331 REPRINts: For high-quality reprints, please contact Tim L. Tobeck ttobeck@energycentral.com 303 228 4752 cO r r Ec Ti O n “Prices are Rising” [May/June] incorrectly reported the costs of proposed nuclear power projects. The estimates should have been reported on a per kilowatt basis, not per kilowatt-hour. EnergyBiz is available free to a limited number of qualified subscribers. Basic subscription rates are $99 per year US and $129 outside the US. Single copies are $10. Request a subscription at www.energycentral.com/energybiz. Media kits are available by contacting Tim L. Tobeck, senior vice president 2821 S. Parker Road, Suite 1105, Aurora, CO 80014 or e-mailing sales@energycentral.com. aDVERtIsERs: I read your articles, “Here Comes the Sun,” [March/April] with great interest and would like to offer the July/August 2008 To contribute to the Letters column, please e-mail your submission to energybiz.editor@energycentral.com. Provide your name, address and daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for style and space. 8 E n E rgyB i z http://www.energycentral.com http://www.energycentral.com/energybiz
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