Nuclear Production of Hydrogen, Fourth Information Exchange ...

NUCLEAR H 2 PRODUCTION – A UTILITY PERSPECTIVE
Nuclear H 2 production – a utility perspective
Dan Keuter
Vice-President, Planning and Innovation
Entergy Nuclear
Abstract
Entergy is the second largest nuclear owner/operator in the United States with five nuclear units in the
south operating under a cost of service structure and an additional six units in the Northeast and
Midwest operating as merchant generating facilities. As a major nuclear operator in the merchant
sector, Entergy wears the risk of nuclear operations – revenues are directly dependent upon operational
performance. Our investment in merchant nuclear operations reflects our belief that use of nuclear
energy in the competitive merchant environment can be an economically viable business venture.
Over the past 10 years, our success in the merchant sector has led to our support for the expanded use
of nuclear energy and more specifically the development and deployment of advanced nuclear
technologies. Of particular interest today is Entergy’s support for the development of HTGR – nuclear
technologies that can expand the application of nuclear energy into the broader energy marketplace.
Studies and economic evaluations, thus far, have indicated that HTGR can compete with premium
fossil fuels in supplying process heat for industrial processes and may well become competitive in the
production of hydrogen for the bulk market. We believe that the application of nuclear energy in the
broader energy marketplace is of vital importance to our nation’s energy security and as an
experienced merchant nuclear operator, we believe that business opportunities in this broader energy
market will emerge.
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