The Future of Nuclear Power

The Atomic Age Reality – Future of Nuclear Power “The dream that failed” This is the title of The Economist special feature on March 10, 2012, one year after the disaster at Fukushima

Nuclear Environments will use the disaster at Chernobyl in the Ukraine, the disaster at Fukushima in 2011, and the early forced closure at San Onofre in 2012 as case studies of the environmental consequences of nuclear power development.

On a global scale, the safe disposal of spent fuel (nuclear waste from nuclear power generation) has been handled politically and economically not scientifically.

The United States did not even pass a Nuclear Waste Policy Act until 1982, nearly thirty years after nuclear energy was generated commercially.

Some key The Economist conclusions on the future of nuclear power. “Barring major technological developments, nuclear power will continue to be a creature of politics not economics.”

Some key The Economist (cont.) “Nuclear plants are getting ever more expensive. But Asian countries may build them more cheaply.”

Some key The Economist conclusions (cont.) “If there are better ways to split atoms, they will be a long time coming.”

Some key The Economist conclusions (cont.) “In a low emissions world, the role of nuclear will be limited to whatever level of electricity demand remains when renewables are deployed as far as possible.”