US licenses first nuclear reactors since 1978

[liv2ski]

Praise Baby Jeebus. That is all.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...ors-since-1978

By Miguel Llanos, msnbc.com

Updated at 1:25 p.m. ET: It's been 34 years -- and several nuclear accidents later -- but a divided federal panel on Thursday licensed a utility to build nuclear reactors in the U.S. for the first time since 1978.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's chairman, Gregory Jaczko, opposed licensing the two reactors at this time even though he had earlier praised their design.

"There is still more work" to be done to ensure that lessons learned from Japan's Fukushima disaster last year are engrained in the reactor design, he told his colleagues. "I cannot support this licensing as if Fukushima never happened. I believe it requires some type of binding commitment that the Fukushima enhancements that are currently projected and currently planned to be made would be made before the operation of the facility."
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"There is no amnesia," responded Commissioner Kristine Svinick, speaking for the 4-1 majority and noting that the industry has been directed to adopt those lessons.

The licensing covers two reactors estimated to cost $14 billion that the Southern Company wants to add to its existing Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia. Preliminary work has already begun and plans are for the first new reactor to be operating in 2016.

Approval should encourage other projects in the pipeline. Utilities in Florida and the Carolinas are moving towards seeking approval.

Nuclear power provides about 20 percent of all electricity in the U.S.

Worldwide, more than 60 reactors are being built, including more than two dozen in China alone.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

[BmillsSkier]

How anyone can argue out of one side of their mouth for "energy indepence from foreign oil" or "green energy" and out of hand dismisses nuclear is a hypocrite.

This is good news.

[SkiCougar]

every US city over 500,000 should have one.

hell, tiny japan, who the world went nuts after fuckedupshima; has 55. the news failed to mention they have 55 running w/ no problem during that whole deal.

the US, one of the largest countries there is ? has 104.

[iceman]

Japan's small in land area but there are 127 million people there guy.

[toast2266]

It's pronounced nuke-u-ler.

Agreed this is good. Also: haha, suck it Iran.

[Arcava]

every US city over 500,000 should have one.

hell, tiny japan, who the world went nuts after fuckedupshima; has 55. the news failed to mention they have 55 running w/ no problem during that whole deal.

the US, one of the largest countries there is ? has 104.

104 is pretty impressive, france is second and you have nearly twice their number, just use a little less electricity and it'll be fine

[BmillsSkier]

just use a little less electricity and it'll be fine

You clearly aren't familiar with Americans are you?

We'll use what we want, thank you very much.

[Ted Striker]

the US, one of the largest countries there is ? has 104.

The United States is the third most populous country behind China and India. Those 104 plants produce about about 20% of total US electricity production.

Japan produces about half that amount, but it accounts for about 30% of their production because they use less electricity overall.

The only country that I'm aware of that uses nuclear as their primary source of electricity is France, but that will inevitably change as fossil fuels dry up.

[Tippster]

Japan's small in land area but there are 127 million people there guy.

Yeah, not a whole lotta room for stinky coal plants like we have.

[MTT]

I hope this leads to many MANY more.

But some how I don't see this as over yet, Lawsuits to block? even through they are replacing / adding to an existing facility. Seems thats the only way to bring new reactors online, build them where they already exist.

[hutash]

Insert an Obama is anti-energy joke here somewhere.

[Verde]

hell, tiny japan, who the world went nuts after fuckedupshima; has 55. the news failed to mention they have 55 running w/ no problem during that whole deal

Ever heard of Fukushima ? Triple melt down ring a bell?

[moose pit]

Ever heard of Fukushima ? Triple melt down ring a bell?

Keep on riding the fail train, it suits you.

[BrianH]

At the very least I hope they put solar panels on the cooling towers, and make wind turbines out of unicorn horns.

[philth]

Good news

[present tense]

Those 104 plants produce about 100 MW of power, which is about 20% of total electricity production.

You're only off by a factor of 1,000. Just 1 typical nuclear reactor is name-plated at around 1,000 MW.

[Downbound Train]

Interesting how universal the desire for nukes is even in TGR, home of a lot of enviro-lefties.

Yet it took over 30 years to get one going.

$1000 says 30 years from now, there still wont be one finished. The enviros will stop them one way or another.

Now there are even groups of enviro's stopping other groups of enviro's from developing green energy projects based on enviro impact of the green projects.

NO energy is the only acceptable energy we will be allowed to produce within our borders as long as we allow enviro-nazi's to exist in positions of power.

[The AD]

Keep on riding the fail train, it suits you.

I wouldn't exactly say fail. Here's a quote from the Wikipedia entry on the Fukushima disaster:

According to The Japan Times, the Fukushima nuclear disaster changed the national debate over energy policy almost overnight. "By shattering the government's long-pitched safety myth about nuclear power, the crisis dramatically raised public awareness about energy use and sparked strong anti-nuclear sentiment". A June 2011 Asahi Shimbun poll of 1,980 respondents found that 74 percent answered "yes" to whether Japan should gradually decommission all 54 reactors and become nuclear free.

So obviously people in Japan aren't exactly sold on nuclear power anymore. I guess you could argue that things could have been worse at Fukushima, but a triple meltdown is still pretty damn significant. I think nuclear power is still viable, but Fukushima will and should have a huge impact on both the way existing plants operate and the way any new reactors are designed. It's going to take decades and billions of dollars to clean up the mess at Fukushima.

[toast2266]

^^^ I believe the fail train would be Verde saying "ever heard of Fukushima?" when it was referenced in the post that he quoted.

Nobody is arguing that Fukushima is insignificant. Pretty much everyone is saying that its significance is overcome by the need for relatively clean energy for which there are few (if any) viable alternatives. Well, I guess everyone is saying that except for DBT, who is just slinging butt mud.

[hitek79]

$1000 says 30 years from now

With the coming hyperinflation 30 years from now, $1000 will be like a buck today. You gotta step up your bet.

[ak_powder_monkey]

if its safe enough to run submarines its safe enough for me...

[hutash]

if its safe enough to run submarines its safe enough for me...

Who said nuc subs were safe?

[Ted Striker]

You're only off by a factor of 1,000. Just 1 typical nuclear reactor is name-plated at around 1,000 MW.

Wow, I really fucked that one up. I re-read the article I got that from and it said that US production is about 800 billion kW. It went on to compare the two reactors being built to other reactors, and US vs worldwide etc. I should've cut and pasted rather than trying to go from memory.

[Downbound Train]

With the coming hyperinflation 30 years from now, $1000 will be like a buck today. You gotta step up your bet.

You busted me.

I initially typed $1 but then I adjusted for inflation.

[liv2ski]

And for those that bring up the safety concerns of nukes (and I should likely cut and paste this rather than go from memory) all of the plants that were built back in the old days are no where as safe as modern nuke plant designs.
If the guberment wants to throw money at a jobs/boast the economy project, lets cut defense spending by a third and put that money towards upgrading our power grid, replacing old nukes with new ones and building our green technology options out further.
The shit we waste money on when there are so many other areas that need the investment capital, just blows my mind.
Ooops, P.A. rant. I sorry