Word: nuclearism
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While the government’s decision to back two new nuclear reactors shows a commitment to reducing climate change, the technology is a complex one with various drawbacks, and the president should keep an open mind with regard to new technological innovations that might offer a better solution. One such innovation is the nation-wide Smart Grid that is being studied by the Department of Energy. A Smart Grid is expected to be more efficient in delivering electricity and has a smaller environmental impact than conventional methods. We hope such projects continue in tandem with the new nuclear initiative...
Whenever we hear the word “nuclear,” we think of a tremendous mushroom cloud in a gloomy sky, followed by images of a desolate, uninhabitable, and barren land. For many of us, “nuclear” translates directly into “nuclear weapons.” We should not, however write off “nuclear” so easily, as the same technology used in such devastating weapons offers much potential for positive growth in the energy sector. President Obama acknowledged this possibility when he announced Tuesday that the Energy Department...
Some people are concerned about the safety of nuclear power plants. To that, we answer that global warming greatly outweighs the nearly infinitesimal risk from the plants. So far, nuclear energy has proven to be remarkably safe as its production has become more computerized and has removed most potential human errors from the equation. The only notable nuclear accident in the United States was the Three Mile Island incident, but no one was injured there. Additionally, the incident was caused by a human error, and such concerns have become obsolete with the latest generation of reactors. However, the president will...
Though we commend the president’s effort to encourage new forms of harnessing energy, the nuclear option is not perfect. Most importantly, the problem of nuclear waste merits attention—currently, only 10 percent of the energy contained in nuclear fuel is extracted while the remaining 90 percent is left to decay as a by-product. Even though a federal law passed in 1998 requires the government to create storage spaces for such waste and to move it off-site, most nuclear power plants in the U.S. still store this waste on-site in steel-reinforced cement...
...want to understand why the U.S. hasn't built a nuclear reactor in three decades, the Vogtle power plant outside Atlanta is an excellent reminder of the insanity of nuclear economics. The plant's original cost estimate was less than $1 billion for four reactors. Its eventual price tag in 1989 was nearly $9 billion, for only two reactors. But now there's widespread chatter about a nuclear renaissance, so the Southern Co. is finally trying to build the other two reactors at Vogtle. The estimated cost: $14 billion. And you can be sure that number...