Energy Reality - Nuclear?

International Resources, Funding Society Responses

Date posted: 02/02/16

A Brief Review by I2M Eds - As stated, nuclear plants can generate a relatively dependable baseload electricity but are tremendously costly to build (but constructed like dams to last for 50 years and more), produce bad radioactive waste (only if you eat it and sleep with it), and present an attractive target for terrorism (but plants are built like fortresses). Other options cost less and produce no deadly long-lived waste, for which there still is no permanent storage option in the U.S. (but an option is available at Yucca Mt., but for political opposition, there are no technical issues). There are more than 400 nuclear plants currently operating in 31 countries around the world. Roughly 13 to 14% of the world electricity comes from nuclear power. The U.S. produces the most nuclear energy of any country, although this accounts for only 19% of its electricity. France, by comparison, generates about half as much power from nuclear energy, but that amount represents almost 80% of its electricity production, the highest proportion in any nation. So? Proponents argue that nuclear power is a safe, carbon-free source of power, and that it presents a green alternative to dirty, climate-killing coal. This claim does not hold up well to critical scrutiny. Although nuclear plants do not emit CO2 while heating water to run a steam turbine (as coal-burning plants do), lifecycle analysis of nuclear power shows that the entire process emits significant greenhouse gases (an untrue true statement). Deforestation by mining to procure uranium, nuclear plant construction, waste storage responsibilities that stretch thousands of years into the future all are significant greenhouse gas contributors (also a misrepresentation of facts). High-profile accidents including the Chernobyl (yes, but bad Russian design), Three Mile Island (but no one was killed or injured), and Fukushima (but caused by tsunamis, no one killed or injured). Read on but look for facts not just hollow claims.