Do We Have a Nuclear Option?

Is electricity from nuclear-fueled power plants a partial solution to the energy shortage? According to various public and private institutions, the answer is an emphatic "yes." According to various other groups, the answer is an equally emphatic "no." I believe that a true and scientifically valid "yes" or "no" answer at this stage is premature because of conflicting claims and inadequate data regarding these two fundamental aspects: (a) the duty of uranium, i.e., the actual number of kilowatt-hours that can be generated from a ton of natural uranium through the use of light water reactors; and (b) the availability of uranium in the US to meet the lifetime requirements of the reactors scheduled for construction in the 1975-1985 period, as well as to supply the requirements of those reactors now in operation.