ENERGY: Renewable energy surpasses nuclear power — for now.

Utility-scale wind and solar power have been on the rise in the U.S., and a wet year in the West has fueled spikes in hydroelectric power. All three sources of renewable power have broken generation records this year, according to the Energy Department.

Record rainfall and snowpack in California contributed to a 14 percent increase in hydro power. Between March 2016 and March 2017, wind power increased by 16 percent and solar power increased by 65 percent.

But dominance of renewable sources over nuclear is fickle, for the time being.

Nuclear power plants are often taken offline during the spring months for maintenance. The Energy Department expects that monthly nuclear generation will again surpass renewable resources this summer, and that nuclear power plants will generate more energy than renewables for the year.

All I’m asking for is a standardized design for small thorium reactors which can be mass-produced and installed wherever plentiful and safe zero-carbon energy is wanted.