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0 points08-156y ago0 comments

The cost for dealing with the spent fuel isn't externalized. The problem is that the government promised to deal with the waste, charged a fee for doing so, forbade utilities from dealing with the waste themselves (Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982), and then... did nothing.

That little bit of waste can be dealt with, and comparatively cheaply. Think about it, you can produce 8TWh of electricity, sell it for maybe $400M, and you only have to deal with one ton of waste. That's not a big deal, but doing it is illegal.

Don't blame the industry for a dysfunctional government.

0 comments

Gibbon16y ago

> Don't blame the industry for a dysfunctional government.

The Utilizes got exactly what they wanted from the government in this case. Complete externalization of the problem for a nominal fee. The government also capped their liability so they could buy insurance. No insurance, no financing.

credit_guy6y ago

> Complete externalization of the problem for a nominal fee.

If you call $750MM/year a nominal fee, your definition of nominal is maybe a bit non-standard?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Waste_Policy_Act#Nucle...

pjc506y ago

What's the total liability for the maximum area of land rendered unusable by a nuclear plant accident?

1 more reply

ape46y ago

This is my favourite comment of the day

throwaway57526y ago

Someone has to deal with it, and everyone I've read who is a publicly recognized expert in the field says it is actually a hard problem. So blame government if you want, but ultimately someone is accountable for it and it's externalized cost until that is address by whomever.

08-15OP6y ago

So I guess Dr. Charles E. Till is not an expert or at least not publicly recognized?

And while "the waste problem" is arguably unsolved thanks to government incompetence, currently the waste is being managed by the utilities. So far, no cost has been externalized.

"Oh yeah, maybe now, but future generations!" Maybe future generations will elect a government that gets out of the way of engineers trying to solve the problem.

throwaway57526y ago

IFR isn't easy or solved. Seems like government is the only one funding Gen IV breeder reactor research, as well as Argonne National Lab and Dr. Till's work there, so I think government is doing their part. Until it's solved it isn't. When the facts change, I will change my mind.

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0 points08-156y ago0 comments

Don't blame the industry for a dysfunctional government.

0 comments

Gibbon16y ago

> Don't blame the industry for a dysfunctional government.

credit_guy6y ago

> Complete externalization of the problem for a nominal fee.

If you call $750MM/year a nominal fee, your definition of nominal is maybe a bit non-standard?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_Waste_Policy_Act#Nucle...

pjc506y ago

What's the total liability for the maximum area of land rendered unusable by a nuclear plant accident?

1 more reply

ape46y ago

This is my favourite comment of the day

throwaway57526y ago

08-15OP6y ago

So I guess Dr. Charles E. Till is not an expert or at least not publicly recognized?

And while "the waste problem" is arguably unsolved thanks to government incompetence, currently the waste is being managed by the utilities. So far, no cost has been externalized.

"Oh yeah, maybe now, but future generations!" Maybe future generations will elect a government that gets out of the way of engineers trying to solve the problem.

throwaway57526y ago

1 more reply

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