April 25, 2005

NOW THAT'S A NUCLEAR OPTION:

Blair 'to debate nuclear power' (BBC, 4/25/05)

A re-elected Labour government would put nuclear power back on the agenda in an effort to meet targets on climate change, government sources have said.

The sources told BBC News Tony Blair wanted a national debate on the issue.

He would raise the issue when ministers responded to a climate change policy review in June or July, they said.

The Tories say there should be new nuclear stations provided they meet cost and waste concerns but the Lib Dems oppose the idea.


How delicious if Kyoto leads to the resurgence of nuclear power.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 25, 2005 8:59 AM
Comments

Here in the USA, $2.50 gas is sufficient to turn opinion. I think most everyone is ready for nukes; we're just awaiting one courageous utility exec to get the ball rolling. A courageous politician to get the trains rolling to Nevada would be nice too.

Posted by: curt at April 25, 2005 9:13 AM

The new pebble-bed reactors seem as though they should be much safer than older designs, but there's still the problem of toxic waste.
Sticking everything under Yucca Mountain for a couple of generations allows everyone alive now to die with disposal of such wastes on the back burner, but it's not a solution, it's just a placeholder.

Posted by: Rip Van Winkle at April 26, 2005 1:44 AM

Exelon and Dominion filed applications requesting NRC approval for construction of a standardized design plant at their Clinton (Exelon) and North Anna (Dominion) sites. These application are about 20 moths old an approval should happen by the end of 4th quarter 05. These will be the the first plants to be biult in over 20 years.

Posted by: wildbill at April 26, 2005 5:21 AM

Mr. Winkle;

The waste problem simply isn't a real problem. The volume is so small that yes, we can just bury it in the ground for a couple of generations. By then either our material sciences will be good enough to really dispose of them, or they will turn out to be valuable (there are lots of things that were at one point nasty waste products that are of high value today).

Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at April 26, 2005 11:15 AM

AOG what you and winkle miss is that most of the so called waste is actually fuel that could and should be recycled. The Froggies do it. We don't because Jimmy Carter thought it would lead to nuclear proliferation.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at April 28, 2005 12:44 AM
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