Skip to main content

Nuclear Road Trip

Larry Johnston, a writer for Florida Today, has been taking his readers on a road trip as he travels in a mobile home. Today he writes about his visit to a Canadian nuclear power plant, and it's pretty entertaining and informative.

I went to the visitor center and asked whether I could visit the facility. The receptionist told me not even the prime minister could get inside the plant. This spoiled my backup plan of pretending to be the prime minister, but also probably avoided my arrest.

The receptionist said I would have to be content with the visitor center. An interactive computer animation told me Canada has had nuclear power since 1970. I glanced at the computer next to me and was startled to see a person with a remarkably familiar face. Could that be the prime minister?

I learned about the numerous safeguards in the plant that reduce the risk of radiation leaks. I peeked over the monitor to the river outside to see whether the local geese had two heads or webbed wings. No, they looked normal.

...

It is remarkably simple, but this over-regulated industry is so politically charged as to be a stagnant energy alternative. Only about 400 nuclear power plants exist worldwide. Each one saves billion of gallons of oil each year. Our fears give comfort to the petroleum industry.
Technorati tags: , , , , , ,

Comments

Randal Leavitt said…
I'd add. "and run safely. Thousands die every year mining coal and from sicknesses caused by burning coal. The nuclear power health record is pristine in comparison."

Popular posts from this blog

Activists' Claims Distort Facts about Advanced Reactor Design

Below is from our rapid response team . Yesterday, regional anti-nuclear organizations asked federal nuclear energy regulators to launch an investigation into what it claims are “newly identified flaws” in Westinghouse’s advanced reactor design, the AP1000. During a teleconference releasing a report on the subject, participants urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to suspend license reviews of proposed AP1000 reactors. In its news release, even the groups making these allegations provide conflicting information on its findings. In one instance, the groups cite “dozens of corrosion holes” at reactor vessels and in another says that eight holes have been documented. In all cases, there is another containment mechanism that would provide a barrier to radiation release. Below, we examine why these claims are unwarranted and why the AP1000 design certification process should continue as designated by the NRC. Myth: In the AP1000 reactor design, the gap between the shield bu...

Wednesday Update

From NEI’s Japan micro-site: NRC, Industry Concur on Many Post-Fukushima Actions Industry/Regulatory/Political Issues • There is a “great deal of alignment” between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the industry on initial steps to take at America’s nuclear energy facilities in response to the nuclear accident in Japan, Charles Pardee, the chief operating officer of Exelon Generation Co., said at an agency briefing today. The briefing gave stakeholders an opportunity to discuss staff recommendations for near-term actions the agency may take at U.S. facilities. PowerPoint slides from the meeting are on the NRC website. • The International Atomic Energy Agency board has approved a plan that calls for inspectors to evaluate reactor safety at nuclear energy facilities every three years. Governments may opt out of having their country’s facilities inspected. Also approved were plans to maintain a rapid response team of experts ready to assist facility operators recoverin...

Nuclear Utility Moves Up in Credit Ratings, Bank is "Comfortable with Nuclear Strategy"

Some positive signs that nuclear utilities can continue to receive positive ratings even while they finance new nuclear plants for the first time in decades: Wells Fargo upgrades SCANA to Outperform from Market Perform Wells analyst says, "YTD, SCG shares have underperformed the Regulated Electrics (total return +2% vs. +9%). Shares trade at 11.3X our 10E EPS, a modest discount to the peer group median of 11.8X. We view the valuation as attractive given a comparatively constructive regulatory environment and potential for above-average long-term EPS growth prospects ... Comfortable with Nuclear Strategy. SCG plans to participate in the development of two regulated nuclear units at a cost of $6.3B, raising legitimate concerns regarding financing and construction. We have carefully considered the risks and are comfortable with SCG’s strategy based on a highly constructive political & regulatory environment, manageable financing needs stretched out over 10 years, strong partners...