James Conca, scientist in the field of earth and environmental sciences. Contributor to Forbes: Through thick and thin, extreme hot or extreme cold, Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant in Richland, Washington, USA never seems to stop producing over 9 billion kWhs of energy every year, enough to power Seattle. The same with all other nuclear plants in America. Not exactly the same with fossil fuels, wind and solar. Nuclear power plants have more design requirements for extremes of weather and catastrophes natural and man-made than fossil fuel, wind and solar generating stations. Which do you want? How important is continuous electrical power for you?