US eyes boom in nuclear reactors

BBC ^ | October 11, 2007 | Laura Smith-Spark

[thackney]

We would only get “free” energy the same way Hillary Clinton would bring us “free” health care.

[kenmcg]

With the RATS taking over I doubt that more nuclear reactors will ever become a reality with them in control.We must remember the RATS don’t want anything that’s good for the country.

[chimera]

Do those figures, especially for coal, reflect the actual costs that are currently not internalized? I know in my area the local power company just reached a humongous settlement with the EPA for pollution control equipment, tens of billions of dollars. That’s going to drive the cost of coal-fired electricity way up, probably in excess of nuclear-generated power on a per kwhr basis. Unless there is some uniform way of internalizing costs that currently are not, we may be looking at apples and oranges. It bears remembering that nuclear is one of the few industries that fully plans for costs, from initial construction to fuel extraction and fabrication to waste disposal and retirement of facilities. All of that is reflected in the cost. I’m not sure that’s the case for other energy sources, and if it isn’t, that may change in the future.

[bert]

The Tennessee Valley Authority recently voted to resume work on Watts Bar Unit 2.

In another life in the 70’s I did a lot of work on both units 1 and 2. The work is now coming to final fruition. All the thousand little cuts that bled the program to death have apparently healed.

“A little Nookie never hurt any one.”

[thackney]

The graph is a link to the source, click it for what information is available.

The second link is better descriptive and has more information. It compares a few options for new construction and operation of coal plants: Scrubbed Coal, Integrated Coal-Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC), IGCC with Carbon Sequestration.

[thackney]

It bears remembering that nuclear is one of the few industries that fully plans for costs

Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Yucca Mountain are fully funded by utilities?

[chimera]

TVA also recently restarted Brown's Ferry 1 after a long layoff and quite a sizable investment in refurbishing and upgrading. Makes sense. Their service area demand is growing and they have a sizable investment already in these sites.

I like the concept of using preapproved sites for planning new units. With relatively little effort to updated the site descriptions, a PSAR can be generated fairly quickly. A new system like an ABWR on a pre-approved site would be a very sweet way to go.

[chimera]

The industry bears the full cost of regulation. It essentially pays for the “privilege” of being regulated by Washington. The NRC is mandated by law to recover the cost of its budget through fees assessed by those it licenses and regulates. Every Mw-hr of nuclear-generated electricity is assessed a waste disposal fee by the government to fund the development of the Yucca Mountain facility. So that is covered as well.

[bert]

The rumor on the street is Hartsville will be brought forward too.

[thackney]

Yucca Mountain has been an ongoing item in the federal budget for the department of energy.

$494.5 million in the 2008 budget plan
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy08/pdf/budget/energy.pdf

[OrioleFan]

Jimmy Carter must be rolling over in his grave. Wait! He’s not dead yet. He was killing off the nuclear industry when I worked for Babcock & Wilcox NPGD.

[thackney]

...the Nuclear Waste Fund was created and is funded by a 1 mil per kilowatt-hour fee on all nuclear generation in this country.

...the Department cannot receive appropriations from the Nuclear Waste Fund equal to its annual receipts, interest, or corpus for their intended purpose without a significant recorded negative impact on the Federal budget deficit.

...and the current funding levels are insufficient to build the repository and the transportation system. If the Program is funded at its current levels without fixing the current funding mechanism, the shortfall in the funding needed would be between $1.0 billion and $1.5 billion per year.

...

Based on our recently completed Program schedule and cost estimate, annual funding will be needed at levels 2 to 3 times the current appropriations starting in FY 2009. If the requested fixes to the funding process are not put into place, DOE will not be able to set a credible opening date for the repository and Government liability will continue to grow.

Therefore, I respectfully urge the Congress to consider that it is in the taxpayers’ best interest to provide funding reform to expedite the procurement activities, engineering and construction of the repository and the associated transportation systems.

from:
Statement of Edward F. Sproat III
Director of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
U.S. Department of Energy
Before the Committee on the Budget
U.S. House of Representatives
October 4, 2007
http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/info_library/program_docs/testimonies/Oct_4_Final_RW-1Testimony.pdf

[chimera]

DOE administers the development project. The funding comes from the levy on nuclear-generated electricity. Just like with NRC funding, the government collects the money, and distributes it to the departments for expenditure. It does not come from general revenue.

[chimera]

The NWPA legislation mandates that costs be covered by the levy. If that current millage is inadequate then they will have to raise it. That will add another mil or two to the current cost but I don't think that will make the energy source non-competitive, especially if we reach a point where all of the external costs for fossil-fired generation are reflected in the cost of the product.

Costs for Yucca Mountain are being driven up by delays from intervenors and Nevada politicians. IMO they should pay for the overruns.

[duckbutt]

Ha!

I was just thinking to myself, “self...that is very poorly written title. Who would put “boom” and “nuclear reactors” in the same sentence?”

Can you tell that a degree is journalism was probably some slub’s second or third choice after “Marketing” and “Liberal Arts”?

[thackney]

If that current millage is inadequate then they will have to raise it.

It has been idadequate for many years.

I don't think that will make the energy source non-competitive

I agree. Nuclear is not cheap, but it is an important energy source for the US. It would be even better if more of our uranium resources could be produced.

[chimera]

Then you should work with your elected representatives to amend the NWPA to adequately fund the effort. I suggest a phased-in approach where the millage is raised incrementally to lessen the burden on ratepayers. Perhaps a half mil this year, another half the next and the a full mil the final year. That will assure adequate funding based on the Secretary's estimates.

Concurrent with that we should enact laws to make the development and licensing process for the repository more efficient. Nevada politicians have gamed the system to create artificial roadblocks to progress, such as holding up water permits and land use for the transport system beyond the confines of the NTS, which is federally controlled land. Those kinds of things should be eliminated.

Likewise, rescind the EO on prohibition of "spent" fuel reprocessing, so licensees will have an option other than dumping spent fuel. Allow private industry to develop reprocessing facilities by making the licensing process for these plants more efficient, and reducing the barriers to entry into the business by having reasonable limits on intervention.

Just some real-life, practical, constructive suggestions to go along with the complaining and lamenting.

[thackney]

rescind the EO on prohibition of "spent" fuel reprocessing

Best suggestion of all.

suggestions to go along with the complaining

Not complaining, just correcting some statements.

[Freedom4US]

There is a lot of opposition to a proposed coal-fired power plant in our area. Certainly nuclear would cause these same opponents to go into a fervor. What they don’t understand is that power generation has to come from somewhere, from some thing. When pressed, they mumble stuff about “alternative” sources like solar or windpower, energy sources that have merit but in no manner come even close to providing current requirements for a modern society.

Currently electric rates are fixed but due to reset soon - but if other areas of the country are any guide the rates are set to go up. And up.

These same folks are gonna go ballistic when they get a $400 monthly electric bill. Then what? God help us from idiots.

[chimera]

Not complaining, just correcting some statements.

I meant more that I was doing the complaining.