Decades after a tense N.H. protest, nuclear energy has become a rare bipartisan issue. Here's why.

Boston Globe

2 days ago

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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
As a college sophomore at Wesleyan in 1977, Fred Hewett was a self-described nerd who spent most of his time in the library, chemistry lab, or playing Frisbee. He largely avoided politics. But even he couldn't miss the chaotic scene unfolding in Seabrook, N.H., where thousands of environmental activists were trying to block the construction of a nuclear power plant.
The 1977 protests, which helped delay the opening of the Seabrook plant until 1990, led to 1,400 arrests. They also reflected the idea, common among liberal activists then, that nuclear power was dangerous. 'Being antinuclear was part of environmentalism,' said Hewett, who followed the Seabrook protests in local media.
But
over the years, as Hewett became a writer on energy issues and learned more about the threat of climate change, the criticisms of nuclear power he once sympathized with began to seem wrong-headed. In 2023, he
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Hewett is among a growing contingent of liberals embracing nuclear power as a complement to solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources. Strong majorities of Republicans and independents
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Today's newsletter explains why both parties have gotten more bullish on nuclear — and why it still faces opposition.
The liberal case
Even factoring in the climate costs of building and fueling power plants, nuclear power is a far cleaner source of electricity than oil, natural gas, or coal. It also skirts some of the downsides of renewables, such as the acreage required to scale up solar power, Hewett said.
It may better fit the political zeitgeist, too. President Trump has called renewable energy a 'scam' and tried to block the construction of coastal windmills. But he has also
'The political winds are at the back of the nuclear industry now,' Hewett said.
Hewett also argues that nuclear energy, despite its reputation, is relatively safe. Yes, there have been three major accidents over the past four decades, including Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, and Fukushima in Japan. Chernobyl's death toll is disputed, but estimates from the World Health Organization and others put it
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The conservative case
Many Republicans doubt the science of climate change and prefer fossil fuels to renewable energy; some of their enthusiasm for nuclear power may simply reflect disdain for liberals like those who tried to block Seabrook, said Andrew Cline, who leads
But Cline also argues nuclear power is more reliable than those other methods. Solar panels need daylight and turbines need wind to generate electricity; nuclear power plants can operate continuously.
National security is another motive. The US
The challenges
The bipartisan interest in nuclear power has yielded some changes already. Last year, then-President Biden
Yet hurdles to wider adoption remain. Some are economic. The up-front costs to build a nuclear power plant are high. Others are regulatory. Protesters delayed Seabrook's opening, but cost overruns and onerous government rules also contributed. In recent years, the median amount of time it took to build new reactors was
Other challenges are political. Despite converts like Hewett,
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The right's commitment to nuclear power is also uncertain. The Trump administration has
Still, Cline sees a future in which innovation makes nuclear both a climate-friendly and low-cost energy source capable of powering everything from electric cars to artificial intelligence data centers. 'The environmentalists are looking for no emissions. The conservatives are looking for low cost and reliability,' he said. 'That would be an amazing world.'
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David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Massachusetts and New England
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Islamophobia:
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Same name, different face:
The children of several well-known New England politicians — including Senator Angus King's son and Senator Jeanne Shaheen's daughter —
Trump administration
Congresswoman charged:
A grand jury indicted Representative LaMonica McIver, a New Jersey Democrat, on charges of interfering with immigration officials during a protest outside an ICE facility last month. McIver called the charges 'a brazen attempt at political intimidation.' (
The Army turns 250:
Trump gave a campaign-style speech at Fort Bragg, where uniformed soldiers, who are supposed to be apolitical, booed Biden and 'the fake news' and cheered when Trump said he would rename a base for Robert E. Lee. (
Homeland:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth suggested to lawmakers that the US would expand the use of troops to 'secure' the country. (
Crisis comms:
Harvard has taken
to TV, newspapers, and social media
Underwater:
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is
Cuts:
Senators of both parties
grilled Trump's National Institutes of Health director over
Tariffs:
Higher food costs have New England restaurants
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New Jersey governor's race:
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LGBTQ+ rights:
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Austria shooting:
A gunman killed 10 people at a high school in the city of Graz. Police said the suspect, a former student, killed himself. (
Greta Thunberg:
Israel deported the Swedish climate activist and three others who tried to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza to deliver aid. (
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