FINALLY! First new nuclear reactor in more than 30 years comes online

[Doc7505]

FINALLY! ​

First new nuclear reactor in more than 30 years comes online​

FINALLY! First new nuclear reactor in more than 30 years comes online

hotair.com

31 Jul 2023 ~~ By David Strom

Earlier today I wrote that we live in stupid times.
It’s true. In an era defined by apocalyptic warnings about how fossil fuels, agriculture, and breathing will cause the Earth to catch on fire, the one thing that has held the environmental movement together is an abiding faith that generating power with clean, renewable, and carbon-free nuclear energy is a terrible idea.
The result has been a ridiculous draught in the commissioning of nuclear reactors. The US has closed nukes but hasn’t commissioned a new reactor in decades.
We live in stupid times.
Still, somehow this new reactor in Georgia managed to slip through the cracks and get built.

​

~Snip~
I am convinced that most environmentalists have stood in the way of deploying nuclear power not because they fear it–coal plants and coal production kills more people in a year than nuclear power ever has–but because they oppose energy abundance. Degrowth is the watchword–fewer people consuming less is the goal, not cleaner growth with abundance.
That’s why you see power plants getting closed and replaced with less generation produced by unreliable energy. The electric car future is more about eliminating most cars themselves–obviously so given that the environmentalists oppose expanding generation to meet electricity demands. And forget about putting in anything like enough transmission to “electrify everything.”
America should have gone nuclear decades ago, but alarmists have slowed both the construction of existing designs and slowed the development of better and cheaper designs. We will be paying a price for this for decades to come.
Two new reactors coming online this year is a good step forward, but the process needs to be streamlined to make it cheaper and more efficient. Good luck with that.


Commentary:
Surprisingly, there were no greenie protests trying to stop the opening at the Plant Vogtle 3 nuclear reactor.
No thanks to the EPA and NEA that have placed obstacles in the construction of nuclear reactors for decades.
Meanwhile, the Indian Point reactor is being shut down.

Indian Point Is Shutting Down. That Means More Fossil Fuel. (Published 2021)

When the Indian Point nuclear power plant shuts, its lost output will be filled primarily by generators that burn fuels that contribute to climate change.

www.nytimes.com

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The demise of US nuclear power in 4 charts

Commercial nuclear reactors provide roughly one-fifth of the electricity produced in the US. But they face grave threats to their continued operation.

theconversation.com

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https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46820/3

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Europe's worsening energy crisis pushes Germany to postpone the closure of its remaining nuclear plants, report says

The three nuclear plants had been slated to close on December 31, but Russia's natural gas supply cuts opened the door to an extension.

markets.businessinsider.com

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

My father used to work at that plant

 

[Doc7505]

My father used to work at that plant

~~~~~~
Guess the money was good. Eh?
My uncle worked on the now destroyed Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant during it's construction as a concrete mason. Claims it was a job he made out well financially.

 

[progressive hunter]

My father used to work at that plant

I dont believe you,,

 

[DGS49]

I worked for Westinghouse when we all thought this was imminent (2012).

It was a new design. The combination of NRC neurosis and field change orders turned this into a fucking nightmare. Engineers were sending drawings to the site, contractor would build what the drawings showed and it wouldn't fit right. We had to re-design stuff on the fly, while the contractor (CB&I) had workers standing around with their fingers up their butts at $50+ per hour. Total claims were several hundred million dollars, bankrupting Westinghouse.

But there are, I think, four AP1000's operating in China now, so the design is well-proven.

The industry is moving now to Small Modular Reactors because these full-sized plants are just too expensive to build. If Biden wants to save somebody's ass, he should send a check to the electric ratepayers in Georgia.

 

[Doc7505]

I dont believe you,,

~~~~~~
My uncle has since passed away, but he lived in Selden Long Island and was a brick, block and concrete mason union worker.
Construction started in 1972 and ended in the 1980`s.

 

[progressive hunter]

~~~~~~
My uncle has since passed away, but he lived in Selden Long Island and was a brick, block and concrete mason union worker.
Construction started in 1972 and ended in the 1980`s.

brick masons are one group of people you dont pick a fight with,,

 

[candycorn]

As I said numerous times; the left is out to lunch on this topic. We've had nuclear reactors operating in the Navy for 70 years or so. Very few accidents. They operate in 140 degree heat, temperatures below freezing. On the surface of the oceans with massive waves; sub-surface by like 1000 meters or more. TTBOMK...none of the crews of these boats and submarines have had a higher history of pre-mature deaths, having kids with birth defects, grown webbed feet, etc... If the left wants studies...we have 7 decades of studies... Nuclear power can be made as safe as any power plant can be made.

We should be all-in on Nuclear Power as the centerpiece of our national energy strategy. Not the only piece. As long as the Navy runs the plants. Let the utility pay the Navy a operation fee every year or so. They can gouge..err I mean charge the customers what they are going to charge them. What they get is their standard massive profits, the public gets a cleaner, dependale, and above all else sustainable energy source. And the Navy runs the plants. Nobody who has poor credentials gets a job because they happen to know Betty in accounting. A commander runs the plant. If personnel screw up; they are replaced. If maintenance is needed. It is performed without worrying about the quarterly profit or shareholder interests. Its a win-win-win.

 

[Doc7505]

As I said numerous times; the left is out to lunch on this topic. We've had nuclear reactors operating in the Navy for 70 years or so. Very few accidents. They operate in 140 degree heat, temperatures below freezing. On the surface of the oceans with massive waves; sub-surface by like 1000 meters or more. TTBOMK...none of the crews of these boats and submarines have had a higher history of pre-mature deaths, having kids with birth defects, grown webbed feet, etc... If the left wants studies...we have 7 decades of studies... Nuclear power can be made as safe as any power plant can be made.

We should be all-in on Nuclear Power as the centerpiece of our national energy strategy. Not the only piece. As long as the Navy runs the plants. Let the utility pay the Navy a operation fee every year or so. They can gouge. Err I mean charge the customers what they are going to charge them. What they get is their standard massive profits, the public gets a cleaner, dependable, and above all else sustainable energy source. And the Navy runs the plants. Nobody who has poor credentials gets a job because they happen to know Betty in accounting. A commander runs the plant. If personnel screw up; they are replaced. If maintenance is needed. It is performed without worrying about the quarterly profit or shareholder interests. Its a win-win-win.

~~~~~~
Wow, this is the first time I`ve ever agreed with you.

 

[candycorn]

~~~~~~
Wow, this is the first time I`ve ever agreed with you.

Its also likely the first time you've ever used your brain. See...when you just speak your truth like I do; you don't care about angering those who may agree with you 80% of the time. When have you disagreed with the group-think on the political right? Never. Amazing things can happen when you think for yourself. Try it some time.

 

[badger2]

Is earthquake design well proven? Number of earthquakes in Georgia: 93 since 1931.

 

[elektra]

I worked for Westinghouse when we all thought this was imminent (2012).

The industry is moving now to Small Modular Reactors because these full-sized plants are just too expensive to build. If Biden wants to save somebody's ass, he should send a check to the electric ratepayers in Georgia.

Technically, the large reactors will always be cheaper to build than the small reactors. Economies of scale. More little reactors will require more security, more transmission lines, more transmission substations, more administrative personal, more workers, engineers, etc..

SMR's will be useful for a small community or industry located too far from a large reactor.