In this study, we analyze the economic consequences of nuclear power plant outages in a regulated market when information on production costs and pricing rules is hidden through regulations. By using ...a latent factor model with a market-specific structure, we uncover the hidden supply-side factors and estimate the prospective changes in electricity prices, welfare redistribution, and the increase in carbon emissions through the nuclear plant outage scenario analysis. By analyzing time series data from 2004 to 2018 in South Korea, we find that the one reactor outage at more than the average outage level would result in a reduction of US$ 7.04 million in total consumer surplus in the first 12 months following the outage and would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 697 kilotons, equivalent to an increase in social costs of US$ 33.8 million, in the first 12 months.
Display omitted
•Impacts of nuclear plant outages on electricity price, surplus, and greenhouse gas emissions.•Model the dynamics of hidden production costs and regulatory influences.•Social costs of the outages estimated to be five times as large as the private cost.
This article attempts to answer the question as to how much nuclear ambiguity prevails within the broader contours of Pakistan's nuclear policy and how challenging this could be for its evolving ...nuclear policy. While conceptualizing the rudimentary pillars of Pakistan's evolving nuclear policy, this article implies that although nuclear ambiguity plays a central role in Pakistan's evolving nuclear policy particularly at the operational level, it remains less ambiguous at the declaratory level despite the absence of detailed official documentation. As part of the policy implication for Pakistan in general and the South Asian region in particular, this article concludes that on the one hand nuclear ambiguity helps shape the essential pillars of Pakistan's nuclear policy, but on the other hand too much nuclear ambiguity in turn could become challenging for Pakistan as its nuclear policy gradually evolves to secure a effective command and control system for newer deterrent forces, retain flexibility between the nuclear and conventional forces, and strive for nuclear legitimacy.
Pakistan has developed its nuclear and missile programmes primarily in response to perceived threats from India. Pakistani officials claim that these capabilities are for self-defence, aiming to ...deter India from initiating a war. However, Indian military strategists have consistently explored options to overcome these deterrent measures. Applying the theoretical models of the “Concept of Deterrence”, “Agreed Battles”, and “Iterated Game Theory”, existing gaps in Pakistan's understanding and projection of deterrence against India, coupled with its displayed behaviour, have been analysed. It has been found that the current pattern is bolstering confidence in the Indian leadership that the application of military instruments against Pakistan is possible and will achieve political goals. The key to addressing this issue lies in Pakistan, recognising that deterrence is ongoing. Effectively managing nuclear deterrence involves a strategic interplay of intent, capability, and communication, with a crucial emphasis on continual adaptation to maintain effectiveness. Bibliography Entry Amin, Aezaz Aizad. 2024. "The Enigma of Pakistan's Nuclear Deterrence: An Alternate Perspective." Margalla Papers 28 (1): 109-122.
The North Atlantic Alliance is a military-political organization that was created from the beginning to ensure peace and security. The most important goal that drove NATO and still drives it is the ...protection of its member states from all types of threats. Fulfilling NATO’s mission of protecting its member states and ensuring peace and security in the North Atlantic region requires an appropriate strategy and capability to respond to the full range of contemporary challenges. There is a need to adapt NATO’s capabilities through development in a changing security environment so that the alliance is always ready to respond when needed. The most important element is nuclear and non-nuclear missile defense, which complement each other. The mentioned forces are supported by military or non-military means. The Russia-Ukraine war has brought renewed attention to the role of NATO and its nuclear defense capabilities in ensuring collective security in the Euro-Atlantic region. As tensions escalate and military confrontations intensify, examining NATO’s nuclear defense strategy and its potential implications for the ongoing conflict is crucial. This work aims to explore the significance of NATO’s nuclear defense in deterring aggression, maintaining regional stability, and shaping the dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine war. While the conflict poses various challenges and risks, NATO’s nuclear deterrent remains a crucial component of the alliance’s collective security architecture. The paper discusses NATO’s nuclear security policy in the current Russia-Ukraine context. As the situation continues to evolve, NATO needs to reassess its nuclear defense strategy and adapt to the evolving security environment in order to effectively address the complexities of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and promote lasting peace in the region.
The nuclear accident that occurred in Fukushima, Japan has broadly affected the rapid development trend of the worldwide nuclear industry, causing many countries, including China, to adjust their ...nuclear policies. However, as the impact of the accident is fading away, nuclear policies are differentiating worldwide. Hence, analysing nuclear policies in different countries and their trends after the Fukushima accident has a practical significance of promoting the effective and safe development of the nuclear power industry. This paper focuses on the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, and its wide impact. First, the changes of the developmental policies and the trends of the nuclear powers, including China, are summarised just after the accident in Fukushima occurred. Next, the nuclear power development of the nuclear powers and China in the last two years is analysed with real data. Finally, this paper systematically predicts the developmental direction of the global nuclear industry according to the actual nuclear development status in each country.
Nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons represent the biggest danger to humanity. During the Cold War, the US and USSR provided ‘umbrella protection’ to convince allies not to acquire nuclear ...weapons. Most ‘newly’ independent nations never had such security during the Cold War since they were not part of a power bloc. During the Iran-Iraq conflict (1980-1988), the Islamic Republic of Iran was attacked with chemical weapons. Since Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), an Iranian exile organization, exposed Iran's hidden nuclear program in 2002, the topic has gained worldwide attention. Iran's nuclear agenda has produced a worldwide catastrophe despite its NPT membership. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and respects Islamic values. Most US politicians and academics consider Iran a rough nation with political and strategic concerns, including regional hegemony, human rights, terrorism, WMD proliferation, and military operations beyond the border. This study examines Iran's nuclear policies to demonstrate its essence, goal, and strategy.
After a three-year low valley caused by Fukushima nuclear accident, China finally restarted the approval of new coastal nuclear projects followed by the gradually matured new generation nuclear ...reactor technology and increasingly more supporting policies. Under this major shift of policy environment, China׳s nuclear power development would certainly stride on a new stage. This paper simulated the growth rate, development scale and evolvement path of China׳s nuclear power by establishing system dynamics models in the new-round construction. Under the background of changing nuclear power policy, this paper is helpful to master the dynamic development pattern of China׳s nuclear power system. These dynamic analyses also have reference meaning to the prediction of nuclear installed-capacity, nuclear generation, uranium import and other relevant factors. Further, the simulation results of this paper provide the Chinese government with suggestions of planning China׳s nuclear push, and deciding the strategy of uranium supply in order to secure the safe and steady nuclear power supply.
Este artículo aborda el impacto de los conflictos ambientales en los sistemas partidarios subnacionales de Argentina mediante un estudio de caso: el rechazo a la política de instalación de una planta ...nuclear en la provincia de Río Negro y sus implicancias políticas (2017-2019). Una heterogénea variedad de actores sociales, políticos y estatales con capacidad de representación y colectivos circunstanciales se posicionaron antagónicamente en la esfera pública en la disputa por la tematización de la política nuclear como problema ambiental. El proceso derivó en el surgimiento de un nuevo actor contencioso, el Movimiento Antinuclear Rionegrino (MAR), con capacidad de veto sobre la política nuclear, y un partido provincial con lema ambientalista, Rionegrinos por la Igualdad (RIO) con integrantes del primero. En torno a la tematización pública se desplegó un proceso de identificación y diferenciación entre quienes se asumían como damnificados por el proyecto y por los que lo impulsaban. Esta se expresó en términos ambientales y adoptó la forma de una controversia sociotécnica configurada por coaliciones discursivas (una pronuclear y otra antinuclear). La publicidad del rechazo a la política de instalación de una planta nuclear como cuestión que afecta los derechos ambientales y políticos de la ciudadanía operó como elemento para un momento democratizante. El conflicto ambiental suscitado tuvo efectos multinivel en arenas de deliberación pública tanto civil y social como político-institucional. Los efectos en este último plano pueden sintetizarse en tres dimensiones: normativa, partidaria y electoral. Concluyo que el conflicto ambiental incidió en la territorialización de la competencia intrapartidaria e interpartidaria y en la estructura de conflictos sociales sobre la que se desarrolla el sistema partidario provincial. Esta dinámica fue producto de la participación política ampliada de la ciudadanía y la estabilización del issue ambiental como elemento de la cultura pública en el marco del ciclo de conflicto ambiental de la Argentina del siglo XXI.
The US Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) has been an important document detailing the US administration's policy preferences since its first issuance in 1994. Biden administration released its NPR in ...October 2022, which identifies nuclear rivals and focus areas examining the role of nuclear weapons in overall US strategy. Using the historical research method and open-source information, the paper provides an overview of the US strategic calculus on nuclear weapons since 1945, focusing on post-Cold War developments and how its nuclear policy and strategy evolved. The paper argues that despite advocating for nuclear disarmament, US presidents stayed within lip service and kept enhancing the US nuclear stockpile. It also highlights that President Trump’s decisions adversely affected US nuclear weapons policy and global security and that President Biden’s NPR would follow the route rather than fulfil his campaign promises. The paper has three parts: the first deals with US nuclear policy during the Cold War; the second looks at the policy during the post-Cold War era from President Bush Senior to President Biden. The third and final part critically analyses the overall nuclear policy challenges faced by the Biden Administration and how it might address them.
Bibliography Entry
Zeb, Rizwan. 2023. "Biden Administration’s Nuclear Posture Review and American Nuclear Policy: A Critical Overview" Margalla Papers 27 (1): 53-66.