Nucular Powaaaaah (git gud 'murica)

[Waraji]

What are Nuclear's drawbacks, with safety not being among them

Basically none, other than the waste, which as shown through new designs, can be completely recycled and re-used. But again, getting new designs to go through regulatory redtape is bullshit.

[archibaldcrane]

What are Nuclear's drawbacks, with safety not being among them

More expensive and longer build times than natural gas.

[Salodin]

I don't get it. The benefit IS that there's no draw backs aside from safety/proliferation concerns. That's why we like it so much lol.

[archibaldcrane]

Here's projections for cost by source for 2020:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps4hdxdqed.png

Nuclear isn't the cheapest but it's fairly competitive. Fracking makes natural gas really cheap.

[Clash Perez]

Nuclear's up-front cost is massive, and it's decades before a plant will start turning an actual profit. Finding excited investors is no simple task.

Newer types of reactors which can utilize waste fuel from the currently-running reactors all use much more novel technologies. Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) are the current standard, and use water as both a moderator and coolant. With that comes a lot of inherent safety (negative temperature coefficient of reactivity, and any water source can be an emergency coolant in a pinch if you're more concerned about the core than a quick refurbishment, etc.). With coolants like molten sulfur, tossing in a few tens of thousands of gallons of water just isn't an option. It's a much more complicated beast, and with that will come even greater levels of scrutiny, if that's possible in the nuclear industry.

I'm not a nuclear engineer, but I spent an enlistment running plants for the US Navy, so what I know about modern reactors is admittedly incidental.

the San Onofre plant in California that got shut down a few years ago.

I was interviewing there back in 2009, and ended up taking a job in another field before Edison got back to me. Sooo glad that they're glacial in hiring, in retrospect.

[Kanriel]

I think the Fukeshima issue is going to be the biggest roadblock to expanding nuclear power in the USA right now. There is so much false information and fear mongering surrounding that disaster in addition to the fact that it wasn't handled that well that people are scared of another disaster like that.

Not saying Fukushima itself has any effect on it, but my only real fear in regards to nuclear power is semi-related to it. I believe nuclear is safe, clean and powerful. But I don't trust for a second either corporation or government in properly funding the necessary safety precautions at the present time. Current corporations, and any ideology that has the current Republican fiscal mindset, could bring about a disastrous end for the plant. There would need to be well enforced regulation, and I just...don't know if I trust that right now.

[archibaldcrane]

Nuclear's up-front cost is massive, and it's decades before a plant will start turning an actual profit. Finding excited investors is no simple task.

Yeah, typically government loan guarantees are required, which makes it a more important political issue.

[archibaldcrane]

A great synopsis of the state of nuclear power in Western nations in 2015.

http://www.economist.com/news/intern.../ed/half-death

[Churchill]

The article I linked in the other (political) thread goes into this, but a lot of the problem has to do with people treating radiation as if it is deadly, but not extending that sentiment to coal/CO2.

Nuclear plants have to account for their cleanup, disposal, waste, and that price is part of their business model.

Coal plants don't have to do this, normally.

When both plants account for this cost, Nuclear is way cheaper except in certain EU shitholes.

[ronin sparthos]

I find it interesting that people make vocal complaints that the ignorance is profound regarding nuclear energy but the available resources to I dunno... educate the populace on nuclear energy is sorely lacking.

When the greatest purveyor of knowledge regarding nuclear power are comic books and TV shows then somewhere the ball is being dropped. We've got podcasts and shows on the wonders of space but nuclear is still a grey area where Fukushima and Chernobyl hold the reins. If the public is to be shifted towards being pro-nuclear, or at least not fearing the hell out of it you kinda need to lift the veil on the big bad boogeyman.

[Churchill]

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+n...m=122&ie=UTF-8

psure the information is out there

[Gwynplaine]

I find it interesting that people make vocal complaints that the ignorance is profound regarding nuclear energy but the available resources to I dunno... educate the populace on nuclear energy is sorely lacking.

When the greatest purveyor of knowledge regarding nuclear power are comic books and TV shows then somewhere the ball is being dropped. We've got podcasts and shows on the wonders of space but nuclear is still a grey area where Fukushima and Chernobyl hold the reins. If the public is to be shifted towards being pro-nuclear, or at least not fearing the hell out of it you kinda need to lift the veil on the big bad boogeyman.

The ignorance and emotionalism of the 70's smeared nuclear and it stuck. It's started to slowly thaw but the general perception of nuclear is still totally wrong. For most people nuclear plants are a giant bomb waiting to explode because some Homer Simpson was sleeping on the job. People hate high energy bills but they don't want a nuclear plant built, they don't want a wind farm built (near them), they don't want ANY new energy production built in actual practice. Fucking NIMBYs.

[Clash Perez]

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+n...m=122&ie=UTF-8

psure the information is out there

Greenpeace's page being the #4 result (for me, at least) certainly doesn't help. The level of fear-mongering on that page is enough to make most people doubt the previous industry-related results.

[Fiye]

I will say one thing. If you want a first hand look into all this junk the US Naval Nuclear program is the way to go.

If you enjoy being worked like an indentured servant.

[Clash Perez]

I will say one thing. If you want a first hand look into all this junk the US Naval Nuclear program is the way to go.

If you enjoy being worked like an indentured servant.

Just take a tour some time, lol. Six years of working on 1950's-era Nuke tech isn't necessary for the level of understanding that Johnny Civilian needs.

[archibaldcrane]

Greenpeace is the fucking worst.

[BaneTheBrawler]

idk


they gotta contend with PETA and Sea Shepherds

[dasva]

Just take a tour some time, lol. Six years of working on 1950's-era Nuke tech isn't necessary for the level of understanding that Johnny Civilian needs.

Hey now my boat had type 1 microprocessor and a newer core!!! That's at least 1970s tech!!!

[dasva]

I don't think there's any GenIV plants operating at utility scale is there?

Regardless, we know what to do with nuclear waste, we've been safely burying it for 60 damn years.

I don't think any are projected for a couple of years... though there are several plants that are significantly different design then early Gen III that they should really should have their own Gen....

Anyways as far as "waste" burying it is well very wasteful. Most of it is still useable fuel. Several designs that can burn it up. And then Russia has been working with a completely closed fuel cycle with it's BN-800 though it seems to be rather behind schedule

[archibaldcrane]

Sure, reuse is fantastic - but the clutched-pearls "what about the waste" reaction implies a major nuclear waste problem that simply doesn't exist.