DiaNuke.org

‘Decisions on nuclear power have so far been taken by a small select group, primarily interested in profiteering from their actions, stating ‘secrecy’ as necessary from the national security point.’ ‘This argument is false, because we are dealing with the ‘civilian’ nuclear power sector, which is open even to the IAEA,’ says Dr A Gopalakrishnan, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board.

The 31 proposed reactors are down to four actually being built and a few others lingering on in search of a licence, which is good for 20 years. Those four are hopelessly uneconomic but proceed because their state legislatures have committed to finish them as long as a dollar remains to be taken from any electric customer’s pocket. Operating reactors are being closed as uneconomic for the first time in 15 years.

Only the very foolish will argue that Fukushima’s near meltdown in 3 reactors and a fire in the fuel holding pond of the 4th does not warrant a re-look at the nuclear energy polices of the world or of the country.

The situation in China is more complex than often imagined. Nuclear power can only survive if it is competitive with the alternatives. Unless the trend of sharply rising real costs can be reversed, this will not be the case. Financiers are reluctant to finance new nuclear plants unless the costs of any problems could be passed on to electricity consumers because of nuclear power’s poor track record.