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The Brits and French: Nuclear Energy's Best Friends Print E-mail
Written by Samantha Hulkower   
Tuesday, 01 April 2008

Last week, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy met to discuss how their nuclear scientists could work together developing nuclear power technology to export and license around the world in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases. Yeah, nuclear power does have zero emissions, but you know what else does too? Solar and wind and geothermal. And we'd like to see a terrorist try and turn a windmill into a weapon of mass destruction.

Ah yes, nuclear power: If there's an issue that divides even us EnviroWonks, this is it. We certainly admire the passion on both sides. Best example: Women in Finland threatened not to make any babies for four years if the government went through constructing a new reactor (The Finnish government called their bluff).

France gets about 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear energy, while the UK generates about 20 percent. But British Business Secretary John Hutton is trying to frame the increase as an economic boon, explaining that replacing the UK's 23 reactors alone will generate £20 billion for British businesses. Know what else will boost GDP? Cleaning up after a meltdown, but we digress.

Hutton, in a dismissal of facts that would impress Dick Cheney, brushed off concerns about nuclear waste disposal, explaining "I do not think there's a long-term argument about how it should be done. There's an argument about where it should be done, but the how is pretty well clear now. It will be a combination of on-site storage pending the establishment and creation of new geological depositories. That's the path that most other countries have taken. I think it's the path that we should take." We're not sure which countries he's talking about, but it sure isn't the U.S.

Critics of the plan say that it'll take too long for the reactors to be built to help anyone in the EU meet their proposed CO2 reductions. They point out that one of the few power plants under construction in Europe -- a facility in Finland that began construction 2.5 years ago, is two years behind schedule and so far costs more than 30 percent of what was projected.

Perhaps in an effort to take some of the glare off their spotlight, the day after the Brown/Sarkozy meeting a top British nuclear official leaked the news of the U.S.'s intention to build the first new plant in the U.S. in 30 years. Three permits for a nuclear plant construction have been filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and are expected to be approved soon. That doesn't mean anything will be built anytime soon, but we suggest you start planning your means of non-violent protest. Like the baby thing in Finland.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to give the peace sign a shout out for it's 50th anniversary. Although it was commandeered by hippies in the late 1960s, it was created by a British dude looking for a simple symbol for the fledgling nuclear disarmament movement, by superimposing the semaphore (aka sign language with flags) gestures for N and D inside a circle.

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written by Jason Kratz, April 02, 2008
"Know what else will boost GDP? Cleaning up after a meltdown, but we digress."

Give me a break. If you're going to debate the merits, or lack thereof, of nuclear power at least don't do it based on Chernobyl (which I might add is the only major nuclear accident of any consequence and which happened during major mismanagement of an experiment).
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written by Samantha Hulkower, April 03, 2008
Honestly, I didn't even have Chernobyl in mind when I wrote that. I was thinking more along the lines of how sick Americans boost GDP (health care costs account for 12% of it btw, while the housing industry is only 5%). So, it was more of an allusion to the perverse ways we can promote economic growth.

Personally, I'm more concerned about how to dispose of the waste product than a nuclear meltdown.
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written by Jason Kratz, April 03, 2008
I noted Chernobyl for the simple fact that it has been the only major meltdown to cause any major damage (Three Mile Island doesn't even count in that respect).

As to the waste I'd agree but with breeder reactors and recycling of cores (yes this is possible) waste disposal shouldn't be an issue.

Given the US energy requirement I don't see how you can do what is necessary without considering nuclear. The key is being smart about it and unfortunately we've seen the track record of the government in that respect.
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written by Samantha Hulkower, April 03, 2008
Exactly. While I'll admit I'm enough of an optimistic treehugger to think we could survive w/o nuclear energy, I'm realistic and my time and experiences in D.C. have taught me that nuclear isn't not going to be part of our energy portfolio. If we had competent politicians who had sound, proven plans for waste disposal I could get behind it.
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written by j, April 04, 2008
I'm sorry folks but there is NO plus side to nuclear power. Firstly, uranium is NOT a renewable resource. In fact, most analysts say that our uranium supplies have peaked, which means by the time we get any new already extremely expensive nuclear plants online, there won't be enough uranium to run them all and it will be too cost prohibitive to run those that can get their hands on it. It's already too cost prohibitive. The private sector will not touch nuclear power because it is a money pit. It can only survive with a huge amounts of government subsidy. Furthermore, it is NOT emmision free. It may not put carbon into the air but carbon is CO2 is only one greenhouse gas. Nuclear plants put tonnes of water vapour into the air which also contributes to the greenhouse effect. Plus the byproduct of the nuclear process is the MOST POTENT POISON THAT WILL DESTROY ANY LIVING THING THAT COMES IN CONTACT WITH IT AND LASTS FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS!!! And we don't have a way to deal with it. Now I'm not sure what part of nuclear power makes it a good idea.
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written by Jason Kratz, April 04, 2008
Before going off the deep end I'd suggest you do some research into nuclear power. Given that Uranium isn't a requirement I'd note that doing some research would be beneficial for you. For example, read up on Thorium.

These things are not impossible.
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