tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post6808526159697552595..comments2024-03-07T02:00:01.582-05:00Comments on NEI Nuclear Notes: The Smart Money Is on NuclearUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-2385275262701663542013-09-03T13:49:41.149-04:002013-09-03T13:49:41.149-04:00All of the plants which closed did so for a combin...All of the plants which closed did so for a combination of technical and economic reasons, most of which were brought about by old age. No amount of PR would have fixed the steam generator replacement issues at San Onofre and Crystal River and no amount of good will would change the high O&M costs of agiing, small single unit plants like Vermont Yankee and Kewaunee. I would expect several more small single unit stations to close over the next few years if natural gas prices stay low. Also, I would not be surprised if a large unit closed if there was a serious mechanical failure that was costly to repair. The closer these plants get to the end of their operation lives the less they are worth and the more they cost to maintain. At some point the costs outweight the benefits and they are shut down. The NRC and people's opinions affect this to a degree since excessive regulation drives up costs, but it's far from the only factor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10911751.post-29437075861543261192013-08-30T23:08:18.177-04:002013-08-30T23:08:18.177-04:00Good article, but I just can't share Caroline ...Good article, but I just can't share Caroline Cochran's hopeful vision. If polls were REALLY true that supposedly most Americans are for nuclear energy then why the heck is it so blasted hard just keeping them open much less built? In a very cold Darwinian way, you almost can't blame the glee anti-nukers have every time a nuclear plant closes its shutters. After all, anti's have long been given a free wide-open unchallenged media-groomed savanna to run amok and pluck clueless sheep by while the lion sleeps in the bushes. You'd think after TMI that the nuclear community would've taken a cue from Tylenol and launched an aggressive damage-control and public education program to pump up the nuclear science quotient in this country. Instead its foolish fatal complacency hoped the TMI panic would blow over and people would forgive and forget Doomsday nightmares. Royally wrong. We got a 30 year nuke building stall and five nukes announced closing this year, boiled down largely as a result of soured enthuse by electric utilities hammmered by political and community pressure. How many are waiting in the wings for next year? How many hints does the nuclear community need to implement massive and continuous nuclear education projects on the media and the web? Tupperwear party nuke teach-ins won't cut it. You have to enlighten en masse in live pop channels. It can be done if every establishment and organization and union with nuclear and atomic in its name dropped a little in the passed cup and got a PR firm cracking on the issue for starters. Just like the one Tylenol hired long ago. Stop reacting to media anti-nuclear features in their comments columns and pro-actively publish some! Get in the antis face for once!<br /><br />James Greenidge<br />Queens NY<br />jimwghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06964988758509076556noreply@blogger.com