NUCLEAR POWER:
S t i l l   N o t   V i a b l e   w i t h o u t   S u b s i d i e s
Doug Koplow


Chapter 1. Overview 11
1.1. An Introduction to Subsidies 11
1.2. Framework for Evaluating Current Subsidies to Nuclear Power 12
1.3. Categorizing the Subsidy Values 13
Chapter 2. A Review of Historical Subsidies to Nuclear
Power and Their Drivers 17
2.1. Key Financial Risks: Capital Costs and “Long-Tail” Operating Risks 17
2.2. Fifty Years of Subsidies 19
Chapter 3. Output-Linked Support 23
3.1. Payments Based on Current Output 23
3.2. Purchase Mandates for Nuclear Power 23
Chapter 4. Subsidies to Factors of Production 25
4.1. Subsidies to Reduce the Cost of Capital  25
4.2. Subsidies to Reduce the Cost of Capital Goods 43
4.3. Subsidies to Labor 48
4.4. Subsidies to Land 50
Chapter 5. Subsidies to Intermediate Inputs 55
5.1. Subsidies to Uranium Mining and Milling 55
5.2. Subsidies to Uranium Enrichment 62
5.3. Subsidies to Cooling Water Used at Nuclear Plants 72
Chapter 6. Subsidies to Nuclear Security and Risk Management 77
6.1. Insurance Caps on Accident Liability 77
6.2. Regulatory Oversight 85
6.3. Plant Security 86
6.4. Nuclear Proliferation from the Civilian Sector 87

Chapter 7. Subsidies to Decommissioning and Waste Management 91
7.1. Subsidies for Reactor Decommissioning 91
7.2. Nuclear Waste 96
Chapter 8. Total Subsidies to the Nuclear Power Industry
and Related Policy Recommendations 103
8.1. Total Subsidies to Existing Nuclear Reactors 103
8.2. Total Subsidies to New Reactors 107
8.3. The Industry Is Seeking Greatly Expanded Subsidies
for New Reactors 108
8.4. Policy Recommendations 110
References 115
Appendix A: Total Subsidies to Nuclear Reactors (Overview) 129
Appendix B: Understanding Subsidies 133
Appendix C: Abbreviations Used in This Report 135