Nuclear Power Needs To Go

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Another one that needs to go. You're on a roll, Pat.

It's absolutely true. I'm not an absolute fan (nor foe) of nuclear power, but believe that at this point in time, it's still a viable component of the nation's power-generation capacity, as is coal, gas, wind, solar, hydropower and conservation. Other than conservation, all have a downside. Nuclear is low risk/high consequence whereas some other the others are high risk/low consequence. Pick your poison, as it were.

Your argument reminds me of criticism of the Green Party in Germany back about 35 years back. Roughly translated, it was that the Greens believed that their electricity came directly from the power receptacle (i.e., it was spontaneously generated in a pure fashion magically at the plug).

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

It's absolutely true. I'm not an absolute fan (nor foe) of nuclear power, but believe that at this point in time, it's still a viable component of the nation's power-generation capacity, as is coal, gas, wind, solar, hydropower and conservation. Other than conservation, all have a downside. Nuclear is low risk/high consequence whereas some other the others are high risk/low consequence. Pick your poison, as it were.

Your argument reminds me of criticism of the Green Party in Germany back about 35 years back. Roughly translated, it was that the Greens believed that their electricity came directly from the power receptacle (i.e., it was spontaneously generated in a pure fashion magically at the plug).

The risks of nuclear increase over time. This can't be said of your high risk technologies.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

The risks of nuclear increase over time. This can't be said of your high risk technologies.

Not really. A reactor built to the newest standards (i.e., modular reactor designs) are quite safe. Regardless, the stringency of existing NRC regulation and cheap, abundant natural gas have pretty much destroyed any appetite for new reactors in the power industry.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Not really. A reactor built to the newest standards (i.e., modular reactor designs) are quite safe. Regardless, the stringency of existing NRC regulation and cheap, abundant natural gas have pretty much destroyed any appetite for new reactors in the power industry.

You're forgetting the waste again.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

You're forgetting the waste again.

If Harry Reid hadn't effectively closed Yucca Mountain (that was built with financing from the civilian nuclear industry) or if we chose to recycle spent fuel, it wouldn't be an intractable issue.

That said, we have ~100 operating power reactors in the United States. What do you propose? Shutting them down before their operating licenses expire? What good would that do? You'd still have ~100 plants to decommission, lots of spent fuel to store or reprocess, 800 billion kilowatt-hours of power to replace, and untold billions to pay the utility companies for reneging on the operating licenses and pissing away their money on Yucca Mountain.

Other than that, you're right.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

If Harry Reid hadn't effectively closed Yucca Mountain (that was built with financing from the civilian nuclear industry) or if we chose to recycle spent fuel, it wouldn't be an intractable issue.

That said, we have ~100 operating power reactors in the United States. What do you propose? Shutting them down before their operating licenses expire? What good would that do? You'd still have ~100 plants to decommission, lots of spent fuel to store or reprocess, 800 billion kilowatt-hours of power to replace, and untold billions to pay the utility companies for reneging on the operating licenses and pissing away their money on Yucca Mountain.

Other than that, you're right.

And since I never said any of that, I'm right.

And you bring up another area where nuclear sucks. Decommissioning old nukes is a real can of worms.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by Boreas

And since I never said any of that, I'm right.

And you bring up another area where nuclear sucks. Decommissioning old nukes is a real can of worms.

I just happen to be an SME on that subject. They do it in Bremerton and during a visit I was provided a detailed tour of the Ticonderoga class cruiser being deconstructed.

FWIW you are dead on target regarding nuclear waste in this country.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by Boreas

You're forgetting the waste again.

You could stop bringing it up and concede.