[ RadSafe ] Global Warming

[Kristian Ukkonen]

About the nuclear power vs global warming..

Governments are now promising to add "reneweable energy"
production. Nuclear power is not "reneweable energy".
THAT is the logic why increasing nuclear energy production
is a bad thing (for governments, and eventually tax payers).

For example, in Finland industry is applying for permits
to build 3 new NPPs. The government (Minister of industry and
trades, Mauri Pekkarinen) is replying in public, that it
propably gives at most 1 new permit, perhaps no new permits at all.
This is for NPPs to be built entirely without government support.

Why?

Because Finnish government (and other european governments)
has agreed (in 2007) to increase the amount of reneweable
energy production to 20% of all energy production by 2020.
This is going to cost A LOT because burning wood and wind
energy is not really economically reasonable to build or
operate without large government support. It has been written
that it will cost at least 300-500 million euro a year for
these supports just in Finland. That is a lot of money for
about 5.5  million people.

Now, 20% reneweable.. If you increase total with new NPPs
(like 3 x 1600MW), you need to increase the amount of
reneweable energy production too (3 x 1600MW * 20% = 960MW,
lots of windmills). So it is better to prevent adding of
non-reneweable energy production (even if it is pollution
free). This is what minister Pekkarinen has publicly stated
as the reason for 0-1 permits for new NPPs.

Sad. But the logic does work, if the primary goal is 20%
reneweable energy production and every kWh requires lots of
tax payers money in government support to windmill owners.

   Kristian Ukkonen.