The global appetite for energy is growing rapidly as the population climbs and economies in the developing world quicken their ascent. Yet at the same time, oil, coal and other fossil fuels that meet the bulk of the world’s energy needs generate carbon emissions linked to climate change and its potentially harmful effects.

Nuclear power offers a way out of this dilemma, according to supporters. It can be scaled up quickly to meet much of the growing demand for energy, they say, without pouring more carbon into the atmosphere.

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