Going Nuke correspondance

There's some really good correspondance over thr nuke power issue here. The first letter is a classic in putting the problems with the nuke option in 'what they don't mention' terms.

Quotable quotes: "If even a fraction of the public funds used for developing a new generation of nuclear reactors and securing and disposing of nuclear waste was devoted to hydrogen production from clean renewable sources, we could abandon coal entirely in a matter of years. And no terrorist has ever attacked a windmill."

And.

"if nuclear energy is so great and so cheap, why aren't private entrepreneurs lining up to build nuclear power plants instead of gas-fired power plants? My understanding is that without massive government subsidies, nuclear power would be prohibitively expensive compared to other energy sources after taking into account all the construction, insurance, uranium mining, and waste-disposal costs."

They don't mention either that it would take c 10 years to get new capacity on line, whereas we can be building turbines now and getting already proven technologies, including energy saving measures, right out there with instant effect.

Umbra's N-power column and Grist's giveaway raise ire and interest | Grist Magazine | Letters | 15 Apr 2005