Nuclear Energy - Time fi Tune een Jamaica

Contribued 

Michael Spence

An all-island power outage must be a wake-up call for all Jamaicans. The nation runs almost entirely on imported oil. 

That leaves our electricity bills at the mercy of others and global oil prices. We need to ask, "Has anyone seriously considered nuclear reactors to generate electricity right here at home?"

We already have the starting point. The University of the West Indies has operated a research reactor for decades. That means local expertise exists. The U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Nimitz runs 10 to 20 years on one nuclear fuel load without refueling. 

If it works at sea, the model is worth studying on land.

Yes, nuclear plants cost more upfront than oil plants. Nuclear power per kilowatt-hour is much cheaper than oil over the life of the plant. France gets about 60% of its electricity from nuclear and keeps costs stable. We can learn from that.

Right now, all our eggs are in the oil basket. We should phase in nuclear, 10% at a time, as part of a diversified mix with solar, coal, gas, and oil. No single source, no single investor. 

Over time, we could aim for 60% nuclear. That would cut electricity costs and make Jamaica more competitive globally.

The UWI reactor shows we’re not starting from zero. We should study it, scale the lessons, and make nuclear part of our strategic energy plan. 

Energy sovereignty is the goal. Time fi tune even to the nuclear energy option.

Michael Spence

Michael Spence is a graduate of Cornwall College and the University of the West Indies. He is a trained teacher, a sociologist, and a writer for Bark Di Trute.