Although nuclear power currently accounts for approximately 16 percent of the United States' total electrical generating capacity, its future practically is in doubt. Nuclear power's economic competitiveness has eroded over the past 15 years, during which time utilities have canceled 117 nuclear power plant orders. The 1979 accident at Three Mile Island and the 1986 accident at Chernobyl have fueled public fears about the overall safety of nuclear power technology, and serious problems related to nuclear waste disposal and regulation remain unresolved.

A marked decrease in the growth rate of overall energy demand, due in large part to the implementation of energy efficiency and overall energy demand, poses another challenge to the future expansion of nuclear power in the U.S. So too does the development of a wide array of renewable and alternative energy technologies which are gradually increasing their contributions to the country's electricity supply.

Ultimately, it is an informed public who, through policy-makers and utility-planners, must determine what energy sources are best-suited to provide present and future generations with a safe and secure energy supply.

In this document, the Association of Media Accuracy has attempted to stimulate the kind of relevant dialogue and debate necessary to make that determination.