To slow climate change, the US needs to address nuclear power’s dismal economics

[Marlin]

To slow climate change, the US needs to address nuclear power's dismal economics


https://theconversation.com/to-slow-climate-change-the-us-needs-to-address-nuclear-powers-dismal-economics-90003

[Chimera]

The whole basis of this article is that "climate change" is real as predicted and carbon is the main contributor.

[Marlin]

The whole basis of this article is that "climate change" is real as predicted and carbon is the main contributor.

Is the enemy of my enemy my friend? 

[Chimera]

The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy . . . but, every now and then, they can be useful idiots when needed.

[SloGlo]

"Nuclear plants are designed to run more than 90 percent of the time, but can't ramp up or down on short notice."

how long does it take to ramp up/down. aye remember da beav unit won wood swing load four low demand time  two extend the  operating cycle.  eye gist don't no how long that took.

[RDTroja]

I have seen them ramp down on quite short notice... like the time someone hit a seismic monitor with a ball of tape...

[Marlin]

I have seen them ramp down on quite short notice... like the time someone hit a seismic monitor with a ball of tape...

   That must have been some time ago, I remember instrument panels with no cages or barriers protecting them around the reactor building but that was a while back. That was also back when shielding was done by the RadTech covering the job. Some people would cringe at that now, throwing lead blankets on piping without a shielding package or oversight by operations. A lot has changed in this industry for the good.

   To stay on topic at least a little bit in the 70s we were just getting past "Nuclear Power Too Cheap to Meter", "Global Cooling" alarmism, and nuclear plant operators settling law suits out of court for damage caused by an individual stung by an ionized bee from a nuclear power plant. Where will be be in another decade or two?








Time magazine 1977

[RDTroja]

   That must have been some time ago, I remember instrument panels with no cages or barriers protecting them around the reactor building but that was a while back. That was also back when shielding was done by the RadTech covering the job. Some people would cringe at that now, throwing lead blankets on piping without a shielding package or oversight by operations. A lot has changed in this industry for the good.

Yep. Many, many years ago... that is when most of the good stories came about. A lot has changed for the good and some for the bad.

[Chimera]

Well . . . perhaps not "bad" . . . but definitely less entertaining.

[Marlin]

    I think that much of the discussion on the debate outside of the climate change issue with concern over plant food can be summed up with a citation from the article "Many experts predict that Vogtle will be the last traditional light-water reactor commissioned in the United States". I think some of the defense of the old baseline arguments is a little like Edison electrocuting the elephant with AC power to prove DC power was the future of the electrical grid. We are moving to new grids, microgrids, and personal off/on grid power distribution. If the new SMRs can reduce cost to be competetive and fit into niche markets I think nuclear has a future but "It's not life as we know it Jim". A little salute to HydroDave