The Energy Information Administration states that “nuclear power plants generate approximately 20 percent of U.S. electricity (23 percent for Georgia), and the plants in operation today are often seen as attractive assets in the current environment of uncertainty about future fossil fuel prices, high construction costs for new power plants (particularly nuclear plants), and the potential enactment of GHG regulations.”

For almost 30 years, no new commercial nuclear plants have been developed in the US. In recent years, interest has been rekindled in this generation source because of the age of existing nuclear power plants and projected demand for power. However, the March 2011 earthquake that hit Japan and damaged several reactors has caused a careful examination of nuclear power plant design and deployment.

On November 16, plan to join a panel of experts to discuss the role of nuclear power, post-Fukushima, in meeting future energy demand in the Southeast.

• Glenn Sjoden, Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech
  Glenn is an expert in integrated nuclear system design, simulation, optimization, and methods development for both nuclear power systems and radiation detection applications. Glenn has more than 26 years of experience in a broad range of science and engineering applications as a technical director, nuclear research officer, professor, lead design engineer, and as a licensed engineering consultant. His experience includes treaty monitoring with the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), and work in nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) arms control, and on advanced technology defense programs for the U.S. Government. He has also served as a technical expert and research lead for critical reviews supporting the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT), the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and numerous classified defense projects.
• Howard Axelrod, Economist, Energy Strategies
  Howard has more than 40 years of experience in the electric and gas utilities industry. He has testified before numerous state regulatory agencies and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on topics that include resource planning, power contract management and utility operations and management. He has worked for the GE, several State of New York agencies including the NYS Public Service Commission, Planmetrics and Resource Management (now Navigant). Howard has a PhD in Managerial Economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a MBA in Marketing from the State University of New York and BSEE & MSEE degrees in Power Systems from Northeastern University. He is a Professional Engineer and Senior Member of IEEE. 
• Brian Debs, Industry Advisory Board, Laser Inertial Fusion Energy Initiative, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  Brian has pursued a 38-year career within the nuclear power industry. After serving in the U.S. Navy as a commissioned officer, he joined the Westinghouse Electric Company as an operations manager in support of the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, and later as a member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s management team. Subsequent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Brian held executive positions with Gilbert Commonwealth Corporation, an architectural and engineering firm and Ontario Power Generation Company in the management of their twenty nuclear reactors and heavy water production and tritium recovery facilities.