LLAW’s All Things Nuclear #615, Monday, (04/29/2024)
“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity.”
APR 29, 2024
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, south of Los Osos, Calif. (AP Photo/Michael A. Mariant, File)AP2008
LLAW’s NUCLEAR ISSUES & COMMENTS, Monday, (04/29/2024)
Referring to the Forbes article below (written by a contributor), how hard is it to talk out of both sides of your mouth at the same time? Well, I guess if all you care about is “money” (the author is an economist), it seems to be pretty easy; all you need to do is take a deep breath between comments in order to contradict yourself.
This is the same nuclear power plant (the last commercial plant on the Pacific coast) owned by the same company (PG&E) that I have railed against for years and Californian’s know exactly why. But for this article to say that providing a ‘reprieve’ to the scheduled shut-down in 2025 and that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is “dysfunctional” with “outdated attitudes” are beyond the pale of simple ignorance. Old age of nuclear power plants being decommissioned at their specified retirement dates is not because of ‘economics’, but because of ‘safety’. The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant has already experienced radiation leakage from cracks in its reactors. Allowing it to operate beyond its ‘retirement’ date is inviting far more trouble than even PG&E has experienced in its hideously and terribly destructive irresponsible past. ~llaw
California’s Diablo Canyon Plant Shows Nuclear Power’s Aging Problem
Contributor
I am an economist focused on the economics of regulation.
Apr 29, 2024,12:15am EDT
California’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant has had a tumultuous history. The plant’s two reactors came online in 1985 and 1987, following more than a decade of protests and legal battles. More recently, despite consistently providing about 9% of California’s electricity, the plant was scheduled to close its two reactors in 2024 and 2025. But in 2022, California lawmakers passed legislation enabling Diablo Canyon to remain open until 2030, and state and federal regulators recently approved the extension.
Diablo Canyon’s reprieve is a rare bright spot for U.S. nuclear power, which has struggled in recent decades. The U.S. fleet is aging fast—the average reactor is about 40 years old. Several plants have closed prematurely in recent years due to economic pressures, and more are slated to shut down.
While keeping Diablo Canyon open a bit longer makes sense from a reliability and emissions perspective, the plant’s history reveals deeper challenges facing the industry. These challenges help explain why the U.S. nuclear fleet increasingly resembles a gerontocracy—rule by the old—rather than a thriving, innovative sector.
Building new nuclear plants is extraordinarily difficult and costly in the U.S., thanks in large part to a dysfunctional regulatory approach to radiation risks. Regulators rely on models that assume any radiation exposure increases cancer risks, even at very low doses. This drives extremely strict exposure limits and safety requirements.
However, evidence is mounting that low-dose radiation is less harmful than commonly assumed, and may even have some health benefits by stimulating cellular repair mechanisms. Yet outdated attitudes remain entrenched among regulators, based more on unscientific precaution than objective risk assessment.
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’S ALL THINGS NUCLEAR” RELATED MEDIA:
There are 6 categories, including a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives, as do ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links in each category about the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
- All Things Nuclear
- Nuclear Power
- Nuclear Power Emergencies
- Nuclear War
- Nuclear War Threats
- Yellowstone Caldera (Note: There are no Yellowstone Caldera bonus story available in tonight’s Post.)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
TODAY’S NUCLEAR WORLD’S NEWS, Monday, (04/29/2024)
All Things Nuclear
NEWS
‘Holy S–t, What if Deterrence Fails?’ – POLITICO
Politico
Jacobsen: Part of the terrifying truth about nuclear war, or if a nuclear … nuclear weapons that were the enemies of us all. … It’s not about …
A second new nuclear reactor is completed Georgia. The carbon-free power comes at a high price
Spectrum News
Things to Do · Community Calendar · Submit an … nuclear reactors built from scratch in the United States in decades. … All rights reserved. This …
Scientists Fused Two Methods to Contain Nuclear Plasma – Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
She’s also an enthusiast of just about everything. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy …
Nuclear Power
NEWS
New Vogtle nuclear reactor now online, completing expansion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The second new nuclear unit at Plant Vogtle has entered commercial service, Georgia Power announced Monday, marking the end of the expansion of …
California’s Diablo Canyon Plant Shows Nuclear Power’s Aging Problem – Forbes
Forbes
The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant’s challenges help explain why the U.S. nuclear fleet increasingly resembles a gerontocracy.
A second new nuclear reactor is completed Georgia. The carbon-free power comes at a … – Yahoo
Yahoo
FILE – Georgia Power Co.’s Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant is shown, Jan. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga. Georgia Power announced on Monday, April …
Nuclear Power Emergencies
NEWS
Belarus concerned over safety of Ignalina NPP
BelTA – News from Belarus
… Emergencies Ministry (Gosatomnadzor) Dmitry … The dismantling of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant has delayed noticeably. … Lukashenko sees withdrawal …
The enemy attacked an energy facility in the east, Poland received emergency assistance …
unn.ua
Ministry of Energy of Ukraine · zaporizhzhya-nuclear–power-plant Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant · Ukraine · Moldova · kryvyi-rih Kryvyi …
Video. State of emergency in Oklahoma as tornadoes kill at least four | Euronews
Euronews
WATCH: Protesters in Taiwan demand closure of nuclear power plants · Latest news bulletin | April 29th – Midday Now playing Next. Latest news …
Nuclear War
NEWS
‘Holy S–t, What if Deterrence Fails?’ – POLITICO
Politico
Nuclear war would be bad. Everyone knows this. Most people would probably rather not think through the specifics. But Annie Jacobsen, an author of …
France’s nuclear weapons should be part of European defence debate, Macron says
Reuters
Russia’s war in Ukraine boosts EU case for further expansion, chairman says. 13 hours ago. Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy, Moldova’s President Sandu …
Nuclear Threat Issued to US by Russian State TV – Newsweek
Newsweek
Kiselyov said Russia will respond if members of the NATO military alliance deploy their troops to Ukraine amid the ongoing war, which began when …
Nuclear War Threats
NEW
Nuclear Threat Issued to US by Russian State TV – Newsweek
Newsweek
A Russian state TV host and Kremlin propagandist has issued the latest nuclear threat against the U.S. over the ongoing war in Ukraine, …
Dangers Of Nuclear Weapons And Urgent Need For Disarmament – OpEd – Eurasia Review
Eurasia Review
The possession of nuclear weapons poses a significant threat to global security. All nations must be prohibited from owning these highly destructive …
Why China, Russia are moving closer to Iran – The Herald
The Herald – Breaking news.
… nuclear attack. “Above all, Iran must face a credible nuclear threat,” said Netanyahu. This nuclear threat that the Israeli authorities later …