Nuclear power 2009. Renaissance of an energy source?

In spite of some setbacks, the peaceful use of nuclear energy has been quite successful in its fifty years of history. In 2008, there were 438 nuclear reactors world-wide, which generated about 13 % of the total power generated that year; 2.5 thousand million tonnes of CO2 emissions were prevented, and fossil resources in the range of about 1.35 thousand million tonnes t.c.e were saved. In the overall power mix, nuclear power has ensured price stability as it is still one of the least costly energy sources. (In the USA, nuclear power is indeed the least costly energy source, with a price of 1.87 US cents per kWH, followed by coal at 2.75 US cent per kWH). There is also a current trend towards reviewing the option of new power plants, which may indeed herald a renaissance. (orig.)