Seems like the governor just wants to push forward with new nuclear planets since the last one was shutdown only a few years ago. Apparently this severally effected the energy prices in NY.
Its still probably being pushed by AI companies but we (the us) don't really produce enough power for everything thats up and coming like electric cars.
Eh, the newest generation of reactors are actually really safe. It's been a while since I've read up on them, but I believe that it's impossible for some of them to meltdown.
The red tape for building nuclear plants was based on the first few gen reactors, and needed to be reduced.
I endorse nuclear power and am enjoying the second look it is getting now but as a geologist I ask where the nuclear waste will go. No one ever wants to talk about it and there is really easy solution, the deep subsurface (miles below the ground). It’s safe, cheap, and Finland has shown how it’s done.
This is part of a broader issue in preparing our next generations for jobs of the future. To build out this infrastructure you need smart technical people to make it work and ask the tough questions, but I know this administration doesn’t care about that.
The solutions exist and the USA has been aware of those solutions since they invented nuclear power in the 50's. Unfortunately Capitalism doesn't allow long-term planning so almost every time a long-term storage solution has been proposed, or ever funded, a few elections later it get's defunded to the praised of misguided environmentalists and the green-washing fossil fuel lobby.
Yea Yucca mountain is a sad tale. A lack of community engagement and politics ruined what was other wise a geotechnically sound design. Having a national repository for a nation as large as the US might be impractical in retrospect especially involving interstate rail transport. I think local containment of waste is key to reduce shipping costs and trailing the waste through developed areas. That requires planning a nuclear site near a geological repository which might not be part of design plans.
Also that NM repository I haven’t heard of, will be reading more
Look I hear you, the way the US does nuclear power has a lot of issues, it's really an industry that requires strong state backing like what China and Russia have going on.
Building a nuclear reactor in the current day is a massive waste of money. Instead get solar and wind energy which directly work and have about the same cost.
Nuclear used to have a big performance to price advantage over solar and wind, but not anymore. It only takes 10 years longer before it can actually do something.
Nuclear is fine and dandy but it used to be popular because the long term cost was lower. Despite long investments.
Nowadays you can get direct solar and wind benefits at the same price without having to wait literally 10 years.
This is why conservatives love nuclear projects, it gives the fossil fuel industry a way to keep profiting for 10 years. Then they will cancel the project and there will be nothing in return.