EPRI Founder Chauncey Starr Dead at 95

Today, the nuclear energy industry says goodbye to Chauncey Starr, a man who stayed active in the business until the very end:

Starr, who still worked six days a week, died Tuesday in his Atherton home. His heart stopped beating during a morning nap before heading into the office, said Clay Perry, a spokesman for the Electric Power Research Institute, which Starr founded in 1972.

On Monday, Starr attended a celebration in his honor at the Palo Alto-based EPRI, an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research. He wryly quipped to more than 200 people Monday that his title of EPRI president emeritus was academic speak for "has-been."

Starr specialized in nuclear power, nuclear risk assessment and the challenges faced by the electric utility industry. In the weeks preceding his death, he actively worked with scientists, industrialists and politicians on risk-based analysis of nuclear plant investments and development of the "SuperGrid" — an electrical system using superconductors to transport electricity with near-zero energy losses.

He will be missed. On behalf of everyone at NEI, our condolences to his family and friends.