The High Costs and Failures of Nuclear Reactors

By Daniel Hall, AUG 1, 2023, https://www.energyportal.eu/news/how-the-nuclear-renaissance-robs-and-roasts-our-earth/114376/?fbclid=IwAR05EPwAT7OGRqi6JWQM56S9G0B8D7o5_cpqKBFU3KGCp2Z45NJ9azxfbCo

Every day, nuclear reactors emit radiation and heat, affecting the environment and contributing to climate change. In Ukraine, the threat of an apocalyptic event looms as six reactors and their fuel pools are in a precarious state. Requests for United Nations intervention have become increasingly desperate. Despite these dangers, proponents of a “nuclear renaissance” argue for more reactors to combat climate change.

However, the reality is that new reactors come with significant costs, and for the next six years, they are unlikely to produce any positive commercial or ecological impacts. The main reason for the lack of new reactors in the United States until at least 2030 is the exorbitant cost of construction.

There have been eight major construction failures in recent years in Europe and the U.S., showcasing the industry’s lack of progress. Reactor projects have gone over budget, experienced delays, and encountered numerous issues in execution, design, and labor disputes. For example, the VC Summer Nuclear Station in South Carolina wasted $10 billion and bankrupted Westinghouse due to a decade of faulty construction and mismanagement. Similarly, the Vogtle reactors in Georgia are seven years behind schedule and $20 billion over budget.

These failures highlight the industry’s inability to compete with renewable energy sources. The prices of renewables have significantly decreased and are now a fraction of the cost of nuclear power. Additionally, old-style nuclear reactors take a decade or more to build, offering no solutions in the immediate future.

To sustain the aging fleet of reactors, state and local governments have been providing financial support, which is risky and desperate. Billions of dollars have been pledged to nuclear energy plants in President Biden’s infrastructure bill alone. However, the average age of U.S. reactors is around 40, and they remain uninsured against catastrophic accidents despite promises made in the 1957 Price-Anderson Act. The potential costs of such accidents, as seen in Chernobyl and Fukushima, could reach trillions of dollars.

As these reactors age, their dangers and risks increase. Some plants are located near fault lines, others struggle with cooling their reactor cores due to hot rivers, and some face water scarcity issues. Furthermore, the owner of the Diablo Canyon plant in California, Pacific Gas & Electric, has a tarnished safety record and has admitted to manslaughter charges related to wildfires in the state.

In conclusion, the high costs, construction failures, and increasing risks associated with nuclear reactors make them an unsustainable and dangerous option. The future lies in renewable energy sources, which offer cheaper and safer alternatives to combat climate change.