Letter: Consider the adverse consequences of nuclear power - East Oregonian
Letter: Consider the adverse consequences of nuclear power | Letters | eastoregonian.com
The Aug. 31, 2023, editorial strongly recommends that Oregon voters reconsider their 1980 ban on new nuclear reactors, commenting that there was an “irrational fear of fission at the time.” The editorial endorses nuclear power as a bulletproof green energy solution but doesn’t explain why this energy source is superior to all others. Nor does the editorial address the adverse consequences of nuclear power, which I will attempt to summarize so that readers will have a more complete analysis of the debate.
Time: From planning to operation, nuclear power plants take 10 to 22 years to build, with most plants in the 10-19 year range. In the meantime, our planet is dangerously warming.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.