nuclear-news

Nuclear Power Is the Cuckoo in the Climate Policy Nest

Politicians in Australia, the U.K., and elsewhere are obfuscating the true cost of next-generation technologies.

Enthusiasm for a new generation of nuclear technology has gripped politicians across the world. The United Kingdom is the latest country to take action, with the Labour Party government set to revise planning rules in February 2025 with a goal of restoring the country’s position as “one of the world leaders on nuclear.” Key to this plan is accelerating the deployment of a new generation of miniature nuclear and small modular reactors (SMRs)—compact units that generate less power than traditional nuclear reactors but can be assembled onsite.

Similarly, in Australia, as part of the Australian campaign for a federal election expected in late April, the Coalition Party led by Peter Dutton unveiled a plan in December 2024 to adopt nuclear energy as a solution for providing efficient and affordable electricity. The proposal—which has drawn significant opposition from the public, as it would overturn a decades-old bans on nuclear reactors—is to build conventional nuclear stations and SMRs, with a goal of having them running by the late 2030s. The plan includes the announcement of seven proposed reactor locations across the country

There are high expectations for SMRs, but there is also a major challenge: They
have been touted to require lower capital costs and shorter construction
times than the traditional large-scale nuclear reactors. However, in
reality, SMRs are facing similar pitfalls as large-scale nuclear power, and
the disappointing results from the first pilot project in the United States
should serve as a cautionary tale for governments and developers…………………………… [Subscribers only]  https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/03/04/nuclear-power-australia-britain-reactors/

March 5, 2025 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international