Friday, December 11, 2009

Putting Nukes Into Wisconsin Energy Plan Is A Mistake

Adding nuclear power plants to a green energy policy bill is a political mistake.

There are too many unforgiving risks involved with nuclear generation and the waste it generates.

And there are prohibitive costs connected to these plants' construction and insurance, not to mention security, making adding more nuclear plants to the Wisconsin power plant scene a bad goal.

Maybe that was the deal that some environmentalists thought they needed to make with industry reps on the Governors Task Force on Global Warming to get agreement to on wind, solar and other renewables and targets.

But in the real world, there aren't going to be more nuclear power plants in Wisconsin.

2 comments:

Jim Bouman said...

I doubt there is any reason to worry about this going beyond words on paper.
The staggering costs, the impossibly long lead-times, the unwillingness of investors to commit huge amounts of capital and, then, to wait 20 years for ROI.
All of this will leave this recommendation-based-on-a-compromise-agreement and wishful thinking to sit on a shelf somewhere. Who will implement? We are bankrupt to the 10th power. Nuclear power generation in new plants is about as realistic as Dubai World.

xoff said...

I'd just as soon not take the risk. The bill would remove the requirement that there be a federal radioactive waste facility before new reactors can be built. The current law is just common sense. I fear we have a nuclear-friendly Public Service Commission that would be receptive if that requirement is lifted.