BobR wrote:
On Dec 4, 4:39 pm, dpb wrote:
Oren wrote:

... Harry "Pinky" Reid says Yucca Mountain will not open.

...
Oh, it _will_ open, the question is just how much longer Harry can keep
dragging it out. There simply isn't a viable alternative any longer and
it is inevitable imo there will begin to be brownouts before we final
get past the quagmire which is (also imo) only going to deepen w/ the
next adminstration which will focus on the utopian dreams which will
turn out to be unrealizable in time if ever. At that point, public
opinion will change dramatically and Harry won't matter any longer.

pictures, etc., ... did quite a bit of work there years ago thru
consulting firm was working for at the time. Always hated it when was
short enough of other work that ever had to work on DOE-sponsored stuff
instead of commercial, but in Oak Ridge one always had to hold one's
nose and do what needed doing on occasion to stay in groceries.

--

Obama has made it clear in the past that he does not favor nuclear
power and Reid will not have any problem getting his support to
continue to stonewall.

Until the lights go out...then sentiment will change overnight.

And, unless something is done sizably w/ conventional generation of one
sort or the other, it's inevitable assuming he's not so adamant the he
does actually drive the boat into a complete economic collapse.

It's simply not possible w/ any short term alternative technology on the
present horizon.

And, don't forget, there are 28+ new units already filed on the NRC
licensing docket. There will be some delay owing to the current
slowdown undoubtedly that will allow for some additional deferral of
demand, but as those new units approach operation and time continues w/
operating units, the spent fuel pools _will_ have to be emptied or the
current units will have to shut down with nothing to replace them.

And, of course, also as noted upthread don't forget that if the big-O
and his minions are really serious about C-sequestration, there simply
is no large-scale alternative w/ the necessary reliability factor.
Solar and wind are simply too intermittent for more than the 20% sort of
contribution unless he can figure out how to pull a Joshua on the solar
and harness the hot air from DC for the wind. Otherwise, afaik, the one
sets every night still and will probably continue to do so and the other
is sporadic even in the windiest of areas, also somewhat inconveniently
at typical minimums in the height of summer and the depth of winter; the
two highest demand times of the year.

It's a case of reality will trump hoping for in the end.

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