The World

10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

1 | Washington

A Return to Nuclear Power

President Barack Obama announced $8.3 billion in federal loan guarantees for the construction of two nuclear reactors at a plant in Georgia. It is the first new nuclear project to be green-lighted in the U.S. since the 1980s. Once online, sometime in 2017, the reactors will generate power for 1.4 million people. While most hailed the move--the White House said the reactors will prevent the emission of 16 million tons of carbon dioxide each year--critics say safety standards for storing the plant's radioactive waste need to be improved.

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