Every large nuclear plant avoids the release of as much as 8 million tons of CO2 per year. Why not build more?

Answer 1

With the exception of Chernobyl, Nuclear power is a safe form of energy. France is about 80% nuclear and Japan is over 50% the last time I read about them. For us, we have people who are scared stiff about this power source. The earlier models did not have all of the safe guards that we have now. The US military has been running nuclear reactors safely for decades without incident. With the newer models, they are even safer and with the Navy supplying already trained operators, it should be a win win for the US, but people have been brainwashed that it is bad. In France, they have picnic areas in the green zones around their power plants.

Answer 2

The people in the US who oppose nuclear no matter what have all the political power at this point. Most anti-nuclear people have actually been convinced that we can make it safe and handle the waste safely too, but now they worry about proliferation, where terrorists or unfriendly governments could obtain material for a weapon more easily if there were a large nuclear power industry in place. Of course nothing will stop the rest of the world going nuclear, even if the US does not. Just look at Iran. And as others have pointed out, France already gets 75% of it's electricity from nuclear power. That is how they are able to out do us in reducing CO2 emissions.

Answer 3

dose the name Chernobyl mean anything or how about Three Mile Island. Did you know that that Turkey point nuclear station was hit by hurricane Andrew. What would had happen had there been one in Katrina's path. There is now nuclear plants in earthquake zones, talk about shake and bake. There is no way to make these plants disasters proof. CO2 admissions would look good if hundreds of miles of farm land was ruined for years because of fall out, and that has happened,Chernobyl reminder, how the USSR had to buy wheat from us for years because they could not grow their own.
As far as the plant life growing better in a higher co2 environment. That's true but it would take having to eat three time has much to get the same food value, sames plant are not as nutation. Experiment done with caterpillars one group in plants grown with normal co2 one group on plants grown in high co2. The ones in the high co2 group while eating the same amount starved to death. This was not done just once or by the same group and all came out the same. I always wonder why these studies were not any more well known.
I do have one selfish issue. I live in Nevada and we should not have to be the nations garbage pail for all that waste. Did anyone know that there as been leaks a yucca mountain.

Answer 4

The biggest problem with building new Nuclear power stations is the storage of spent fuel from the reactor/reactors. The NRC dictates that a site must have 40 years worth of storage space for spent fuel rods before the reactors can even be begun. This causes delays and concerns that most utilities choose not to deal with. Couple that with the expense of meeting or exceeding all the regulations for construction and you can see why most Power companies choose alternate sources for energy.

Answer 5

Nuclear plants have other issues. Like what impact the nuclear waste has on the environment and liability issues if a disaster occurs at one of the plants. Just look at Chernobyl.

Answer 6

Environmental utopians have convinced the public over the last thirty years that nuclear power is dangerous. It isn't. Yes, there are waste issues to deal with, but it's a lot less waste than most other currently sustainable power technologies.

Answer 7

Because of the risks: Before asking why we don't build more, ask why so many that are already built have major nuclear scares, or actually hurt and kill people by accident of course.

Answer 8

I agree.....Build alot more !!!!!---- Include the building of 100---6000MW nuclear " fusion " plants.

Answer 9

You can't trust people to run these plants. They simply will not follow the protocols necessary to be safe.

Answer 10

with all that Co2; wouldnt plantlife tend to thrive? then those pesky little plants would be putting out too much oxygen?ya know what they say about photosynthesis...
" ya get too much; ya get too high."