RE: Scientists: Nuclear power isn't viable without corporate welfare
The UCS claimed that the nuclear plants constructed in the
1970s were too expensive and that there was a grave risk that
they would cause widespread damage.
Those plants are now paid off, will continue operating for 20-40
more years, have had no fatal accidents involving radiation, and
produce 806 billion kilowatt-hours per year of emission free
electricity. That is more than 10 times as much electricity as is
produced by all of the wind turbines, solar power systems, and
geothermal power systems in the United States COMBINED.
There may be some kind of computed risk assumed by taxpayers
in the exceedingly unlikely case that a completed nuclear plant
would stop operating before paying off its loans. There may also
be some kind of computed risk assumed in the even more
unlikely case that a nuclear plant would have an accident that
caused enough damage to exceed the 10+ BILLION in pooled
insurance that the industry provides for itself.
However, in the case of wind turbines, we KNOW that the
taxpayers are spending tens of billions in current money. Before
the economic crisis, wind turbines qualified for a tax credit that
provided $20 per megawatt hour - even if the power came at a
time when it was unwanted. Now, projects can qualify for a 30%
up front cost share by the federal government in lieu of the tax
credit.
That is not a risk of an unlikely payout; its is a budgetary fact
involving real money.
