Despite previous worries, evidence suggests that nuclear safety is no worse following U.S. electricity deregulation

From the late 1990s, U.S. electricity markets were deregulated so that half of the country’s nuclear plants became subject to the fluctuations of prices in competitive wholesale electricity markets. In new research, Catherine Hausman finds that despite the predictions of some that safety would be compromised as nuclear power plant managers sought to cut costs, safety levels have actually not worsened, and may have improved. She writes that in the competitive wholesale market, it is in the interests of plant managers to avoid safety incidents that can lead to costly plant shutdowns.