"All I can say today is vindication, vindication, vindication."

[bananas]

http://www.id.org.za/newsroom/speeches/id2019s-lance-greyling2019s-speech-on-the-pebble-bed-modular-reactor/

ID’s LANCE GREYLING’S- SPEECH ON THE PEBBLE BED MODULAR REACTOR

16TH SEPTMEBER- All I can say today is vindication, vindication, vindication.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY


All I can say today is vindication, vindication, vindication.

For six years in this House I have been objecting every year to the absurd amounts of money that the government has seen fit to throw the way of the PBMR.

R9 billion worth of taxpayer’s money has been thrown at this project even though it was clear from the international panel of economists way back in 1999 that it would never be economically viable.

I was ridiculed for my stance from that side of the House but today it is clear that this was a momentous waste of government’s resources. That money could have been far better used to position South Africa as a leader in solar energy.

The ID therefore calls for a complete and independent forensic audit so that we can know the full extent of wastage that occurred on this misguided project.

:applause:

[pscot]

1. Whoops

[kristopher]

2. How can we get a real audit of our nuclear program?

[Nederland]

3. It's easy to play the cynic

Thomas Edison said that he constructed 3,000 different theories in connection with the electric light before finally finding one that worked. While that ratio of failure to success seems a bit high, I'm sure in the real world failures outnumber to successes by an order of magnitude or two. The cynic merely plays these odds, knowing that they will usually be right. However, cynics will never discover something that changes the world--all they will ever do is stand in the way of those that do.

[Terry in Austin]

4. Nuclear is a 50-year-old that still hasn't left home

The nuclear power industry is 50 years old, and still isn't able to get by without massive government subsidies.

In aggregate, nuclear subsidy has been put at well over $150 billion, with government support per kWh more than 30% of market value.

Greyling's point about opportunity costs is well-taken: we're devoting a huge portion of development and subsidy outlays to an industry of questionable viability, when we could be getting better bang for the buck putting it into other areas like renewable energy and serious public transportation.