b'2020 - 2025Goal 1Strengthen the Domestic Commercial Nuclear Energy Enterprise C ommercial nuclear energy is a key strategic assetprice and firm availability of natural gas, a historically low for the economic engine of the U.S. Today, nucleargrowth rate of electricity demand, and declining cost and energy provides approximately 20% of the electricityexpanded deployment of renewable energy. These stressors consumed in the nations industrial, commercial, andare precipitating early closure of a number of nuclear power residential sectors. Nuclear energy systems serve several keyplants, principally those in nonregulated markets. This strategic roles in the nations electric generation portfolio,situation is projected to remain for the foreseeable future, including helping maintain the stability of electrical grids;requiring reactor owners to redouble efforts to substantially providing nearly 60% of the nongreenhouse gas-emittingreduce operating costs, as well as evaluate options for electricity consumed; serving as a valuable asset in nationalimproving revenue, to remain economically viable.fuel-source diversity, price stability, and clean energy; andAs high-performance materials, operational knowledge, providing resiliency and reliable power during extremesensing, control, and other systems technologies advance weather events. However, many commercial nuclear powerwithin and outside of the nuclear energy field, the facilities in the U.S. are under significant economic stress.opportunity exists to enhance operational efficiency and The economic challenges stem from several coincident forces,safety, and thus reduce costs and extend the operating including energy market structures not well aligned withlifetimes of the domestic fleet by embedding these new nuclear power business and operations bases, the very low 14'