I have long
been in favor of expanding nuclear power.
It is non-polluting, virtually inexhaustible, and nuclear power plants
can be sited almost anywhere. Sure, such
plants are expensive – but maybe worth the cost, considering on-rushing global
warming. But now I am changing my mind –
reluctantly.
As I see it,
the trouble with nuclear power is – people.
As it stands such plants produce dangerous waste, which must be stored
safely for hundreds of thousands of years.
So, big deal; there are thick, flat-lying geological units in the mid-continent
that are undisturbed after hundreds of MILLIONS of years! But of course, NIMBYism, politics, and human
cussedness won’t let us store the stuff there.
Then there is fear of “nuclear meltdown” (see the movie The China Syndrome,
for instance). However, multiple layers
of fail-safe engineering, although expensive, should do the trick. Many folks seem to be existentially terrified
of nuclear power for no specific reason, but their beliefs are very strongly
held and not to be overcome by argument.
So, no nuclear power.
I said
earlier that the problem arises because we are human beings. You don’t build a nuclear power plant in an
active seismic zone, no matter how cheap the land nor inexpensive the
transmission costs. You don’t skimp on
the engineering in order to add a bit to the bottom line. Above all, you don’t involve nuclear
complexes in wartime distruction! Sigh!
So, I guess
we are stuck with windmills, glass roofing, and a much hotter future.
No comments:
Post a Comment