Comment on Bill Gates-backed nuclear contender Terra Power aims to build dozens of UK reactors
Diplomjodler@feddit.de 1 year agoSo travelling wave is out and SMRs are in? Right. What both have in common is that they’re just pipe dreams. Nuclear power never was and never will be economically viable. If we could all just accept that we could get on with real solutions.
Zron@lemmy.world 1 year ago
The energy density of nuclear fuels is unparalleled.
Modern reactor designs are extremely safe and stable, the only downside is the cost.
The cost is so high because they are basically boutique projects. Having a standardized design with mass produced components would go a long way to making nuclear reactors more affordable.
Diplomjodler@feddit.de 1 year ago
And just why do you think that never happened? The Soviets tried that. And how did that go? The Japanese tried to use American designs without adapting them to local conditions and that’s how we got Fukushima. A nuclear reactor is simply too complex to be built in an assembly line. And all the promises of “small modular reactors” have been nothing but pipe dreams so far. I’m not saying it’s not doable. I’m saying it won’t happen any time soon. Anyone who touts nuclear power as a solution to climate change is either delusional or not arguing in good faith.
Aux@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Do you know why Chernobyl even happened? The reactors were designed and built by one ministry, but they were operated by a different ministry. And the first ministry did NOT share proper operational instructions, yet they knew and had internal documentation that such a shut down will result in a melt down. Workers at Chernobyl had no real clue what they were doing. It’s not a problem of nuclear power, it’s a problem of corruption and the power struggle of Soviet politics.
Diplomjodler@feddit.de 1 year ago
And all countries that run nuclear reactors these days are completely corruption free? Just look at Fukushima and the aftermath. And that’s one of the less corrupt countries of the world.
IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world 1 year ago
We’ve had 70 years to figure out how to produce cost-competitive nuclear energy. It’s time to move on.
Laser_Frog@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
And electric cars have had over 100 years, so should we have given up on them? Your argument is flawed.
IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Not at all. We’ve seen massive advancements with EVs, 300+ miles ranges for under $40k are common now. Has nuclear both gotten more capable and cheaper during its lifetime? The answer is a resounding no.
sunbeam60@lemmy.one 1 year ago
We did produce cost competitive nuclear. When France went through it’s oil crisis recovery shift to nuclear, they built them every single year for a decade, going from a couple to 40+ in the span of a decade.
We’ve just stopped. So then of course the institutional knowledge disappears.
IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world 1 year ago
That’s fair. I’m not anti-nuclear on principle. If we had gone all-in 30 years ago it would’ve made some sense. To build new nuclear now though is a waste of money.