Power Supply Shortage

Wall Street Journal (subscription):

A report by the North American Electric Reliability Council warns demand for electricity is increasing three times as fast as resources are being added in the U.S., a trend that could shake electric-system reliability in the coming decade.

In its first report since the organization's duties were expanded by Congress, the grid organization, known as NERC, said U.S. demand will increase by about 20% from 2006 to 2015, outstripping investment in new electrical supply.

The NERC report is available online.

The nuclear industry is poised to help:

Facing steadily growing energy demand, pressure to cut airborne emissions, and armed with a raft of federal incentives, U.S. power generators are reassembling the pieces needed to build commercial reactors.

There is widespread belief in the industry and among analysts that the first of these new nuclear facilities will be on line by 2015.