Category: nuclear power

Fukushima revisited

On By nalexIn Climate Change, Economic disaster, nuclear, Nuclear energy, nuclear powerLeave a comment

Read this in the Guardian just now.

Currently about 400 tonnes of groundwater is streaming into the reactor basements from the hills behind the plant each day. The plant has accumulated about 300,000 tonnes of contaminated water, which is being stored in 1,200 tanks occupying a large swath of the Fukushima Daiichi site.

Eventually Tepco hopes to have enough space to store 800,000 tonnes, but fears are rising that it will run out of space sometime next year because it can’t keep up with the flow of toxic water.

The Guardian.

They think it would be safer to pour contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. The trouble with the Nuclear Power industry is that it has no real solutions the problems imposed by meltdowns. How much will nuclear safety have cost us 100 years from now? If Nuclear Energy is costed honestly it must incorporate premiums for accidents that can be bought back by safety record. It only takes one disaster to bankrupt a power company.

A better solution is to make all homes self sufficient using renewable energy. Power is still required for industry, but it is a politically achievable and meaningful result that has a positive effect on everyones’ life.

Nuclear Warming

On By nalexIn Nuclear energy, nuclear powerLeave a comment

The risk to the nuclear industry posed by flooding caused by global warming has entered the media in the UK, in the Guardian, it is reported that by 2080 12 of 19 reactors will be flooded. The cost of decommissioning far outweighs the benefits of nuclear over using nature to generate energy. The economic crisis that this will create appears to be beyond imagination.

Nuclear Inflation

On By nalexIn nuclear powerLeave a comment

“The cost of decommissioning Britain’s 19 ageing nuclear plants has jumped from £61bn to £73bn in two years and could land the taxpayer with even higher bills in the future, a report by the National Audit Office reveals today.”

What? How? Why? Is the cost to the taxpayer of the nuclear industry figured into the real costs of this energy source. Put another way, this kind of cost differential when its not exactly a moving target, is £12bn.

So, the cost of decommisioning goes up by 10% per annum. The UK had better get cracking before they can not afford to do it.