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[–] 10 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Nuclear power is the ONLY form of clean energy that can be scaled up in time to save us from the worst of climate change

Except the plants take so long to build they won't be ready until we're at 2°C

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    It has been fifty years that "oh no they take so long to build, better never start" that by today we would have completely decarbonized energy generation if we started actually building them.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Doesn't matter, not it's to late so think about something else

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    It was too late ten years ago
    It is too late today
    It will be too late in ten years
    It is always too late.

    But weirdly it is never too late to be anti nuclear power.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Knowing nothing about the process, can i ask, is the time it takes to build one based on current standards? Like if we were to focus more resources into the construction of new plants wouldnt they be built faster?

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    The latest nuclear power plant built in the US is seven years behind schedule and almost $20 billion over budget. It bankrupted Westinghouse Energy, and is slated to cost consumers more than double what comparable electricity costs because of these overruns.

    And this was a plant that was using newer construction techniques like offsite assembly to reduce costs.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Were there mistakes during the build process like lowballing spending figures or building time so they are permitted to build or did they just royally fuck up some other way?

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    It just seems to be a general issue in the industry and not specific to this plant or the US.

    Flamanville-3 in France is 5 years overrun already and is projected to be operational 12 years from now. It's budget ballooned from 3.3B to 20B euros.

    Olkiluoto-3 was only delayed a year, but the budget went from 3 to 11B Euro.

    Hinkley Point C project is behind and esyimates have gone from £16B to almost £30B.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago

    Looks like one holdup nowadays is the ability to source HALEU (Uranium that is 4x as enriched as the typical fuel used in current reactors).

    https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/what-high-assay-low-enriched-uranium-haleu

    https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/natural-resources-energy/2022-12-14/the-opening-of-terrapowers-nuclear-plant-in-kemmerer-will-be-delayed-by-two-years

    It was sourceable from Russia before they invaded Ukraine.

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