Monetary roadblocks lessen nuclear prospects

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/07/21/2623/monetary_roadblocks_lessen_nuclear_prospects

Monetary roadblocks lessen nuclear prospects

REUTERS/Morris MacMatzen

By Ron Way
Monday, July 21, 2008

As Gov. Tim Pawlenty and a gaggle of DFL and Republican legislators press for nuclear-power development by initially removing Minnesota's ban on the controversial plants, a respected investment analyst has issued a sobering report on skyrocketing costs and sinking prospects of building nuclear generators.

In fact, it appears to many observers that the only way to advance nuclear power in the United States is to sharply increase government subsidies to an industry that's already far ahead of other electric-generating forms in receiving direct and indirect taxpayer support.

According to recent estimates, building a new nuclear plant is nearly four times more expensive than installing wind turbines and 2.5 times higher than coal-fired plants yielding equivalent electricity. And while uranium fuel for nuclear plants is inexpensive relative to coal and gas, wind has zero fuel costs.

"It's more than just the high cost of nuclear that will mean more subsidies," said state Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis, who chairs the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee. Wagenius said that renewable sources like wind, solar, biomass and even geo-thermal are home-grown industries that generate local dollars that remain local. Nuclear plants require uranium fuel that is mined elsewhere and shipped in, and most of the scientific support for building the plants would come from out of state.

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[madokie]

1. we're wasting time beating on this dead horse

take the governments money out of it and it will collapse into a heap of radioactive waste like he pile of shit it is. It would seem the nuke industry has us somewhat over a barrel in that we're going to have to clean up all the messes sooner or later, as I doubt they ever will.