Peter A. Bradford
Encyclopedia
Peter A. Bradford is a former member of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
and former chair of the Maine and New York utility commissions. He teaches energy policy
and law at the Vermont Law School
and has taught at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He is the author of Fragile Structures: A Story of Oil Refineries, National Security and the Coast of Maine and has written many articles. He is Vice-Chair of the Union of Concerned Scientists
. He served on a panel advising the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
on how best to replace the remaining Chernobyl nuclear power plant
s. He was part of an expert panel advising the Austria
n Institute for Risk Reduction on issues associated with the opening of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant
in western Slovakia
. He also participated in a 1968 Ralph Nader
-sponsored study of the Federal Trade Commission
: The Nader Report on the Federal Trade Commission
.
is not a magic-bullet answer to climate change
. He has said:
In an early-2010 interview, with President Barack Obama
's fresh budget proposal to triple available loan guarantees, to $54 billion, for nuclear power plants, Bradford made clear he was not a total opponent of more nuclear. However, Bradford outlined the failure of the $18 billion of guarantees available over the last several years to generate new construction—and even "scandals ... in Florida and in Texas" to do with them --, combined with the high cost of electricity from nuclear and other factors, to specify why he didn't see nuclear as a desirable major source for climate-change mitigation. He saw perhaps the benefit of some limited plant development within the context of a cap and trade regime (not yet in place).
Bradford is also serving in 2010 as the chair of a Vermont state legislative oversight panel relative to Entergy
Corporation's operation of its Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The panel was created in June, 2008, made a report in March, 2009, when Bradford was rotating chair, and was scheduled to report again in February, 2010.
and received his law degree from the Yale Law School
in 1968.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
and former chair of the Maine and New York utility commissions. He teaches energy policy
Energy policy
Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity has decided to address issues of energy development including energy production, distribution and consumption...
and law at the Vermont Law School
Vermont Law School
Vermont Law School is a private, American Bar Association accredited law school located in South Royalton, Vermont . The Law School has one of the United States' leading programs in environmental law, and the Law School is currently ranked #1 in Environmental Law by U.S...
and has taught at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He is the author of Fragile Structures: A Story of Oil Refineries, National Security and the Coast of Maine and has written many articles. He is Vice-Chair of the Union of Concerned Scientists
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit science advocacy group based in the United States. The UCS membership includes many private citizens in addition to professional scientists. James J...
. He served on a panel advising the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Founded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia. Its mission was to support the formerly communist countries in the process of establishing their...
on how best to replace the remaining Chernobyl nuclear power plant
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant or Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned nuclear power station near the city of Pripyat, Ukraine, northwest of the city of Chernobyl, from the Ukraine–Belarus border, and about north of Kiev. Reactor 4 was the site of the Chernobyl disaster in...
s. He was part of an expert panel advising the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Institute for Risk Reduction on issues associated with the opening of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant
Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant
The Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant located between the towns of Nitra and Levice, on the site of the former village of Mochovce. Two up-rated 470 MW reactors are presently in operation, with two further reactors of the same type under construction...
in western Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. He also participated in a 1968 Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
-sponsored study of the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
: The Nader Report on the Federal Trade Commission
The Nader Report on the Federal Trade Commission
This report is the result of a student task force exploration of the Federal Trade Commission , completed over the course of a summer job led by Ralph Nader...
.
Debate over nuclear power
Bradford argues that nuclear powerNuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
is not a magic-bullet answer to climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. He has said:
Even if it is scaled up much faster than anything now in prospect, it cannot provide more than 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the greenhouse gas displacement that is likely to be needed by mid-century. Not only can nuclear power not stop global warming, it is probably not even an essential part of the solution to global warming.
In an early-2010 interview, with President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's fresh budget proposal to triple available loan guarantees, to $54 billion, for nuclear power plants, Bradford made clear he was not a total opponent of more nuclear. However, Bradford outlined the failure of the $18 billion of guarantees available over the last several years to generate new construction—and even "scandals ... in Florida and in Texas" to do with them --, combined with the high cost of electricity from nuclear and other factors, to specify why he didn't see nuclear as a desirable major source for climate-change mitigation. He saw perhaps the benefit of some limited plant development within the context of a cap and trade regime (not yet in place).
Bradford is also serving in 2010 as the chair of a Vermont state legislative oversight panel relative to Entergy
Entergy
Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. It is headquartered in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana.-History:...
Corporation's operation of its Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The panel was created in June, 2008, made a report in March, 2009, when Bradford was rotating chair, and was scheduled to report again in February, 2010.
Education
Bradford is a 1964 graduate of Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and received his law degree from the Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1968.
External links
- Risky Appropriations: Gambling US Energy Policy on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, 2008 report on GNEPGlobal Nuclear Energy PartnershipThe International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation formerly the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership began as a U.S. proposal, announced by United States Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman on February 6, 2006, to form an international partnership to promote the use of nuclear power and close...
. Primary author David A. SchlisselDavid A. SchlisselDavid A. Schlissel has been a Senior Consultant with Synapse Energy Economics since 2000. For 30 years he has worked on complex engineering and economic issues mainly in the field of energy management. This work has ranged from conducting technical investigations, through to presenting expert...
, Senior Consultant, Synapse Energy Economics; contributing authors Robert Alvarez and Peter Bradford. Sponsored by: Friends of the EarthFriends of the EarthFriends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
USA, Government Accountability ProjectGovernment Accountability ProjectThe Government Accountability Project is a leading United States whistleblower protection organization. Through litigating of whistleblower cases, publicizing concerns and developing legal reforms, GAP’s mission is to protect the public interest by promoting government and corporate accountability...
, Institute for Policy StudiesInstitute for Policy StudiesInstitute for Policy Studies is a left-wing think tank based in Washington, D.C..It has been directed by John Cavanagh since 1998- History :...
, and Southern Alliance for Clean EnergySouthern Alliance for Clean EnergyThe Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is a non-profit, nonpartisan energy watchdog group based in the Southeastern United States . SACE was originally organized under the name Tennessee Valley Energy Coalition in 1985...
. - Why a Future for the Nuclear Industry is Risky, 2007 report