None of the nuclear plants--or anyone else--have figured out what to do about the waste they generate.
There are many unregulated nuclear plants now that make very high premiums because they can compete against natural gas.
From what I have read, there has never been a nuclear plant built without subsidies from one government or another. But, you're right (I'll take the liberty of anticipating here), I can't point to a "credible" source for that statement. I wonder if you can point to a credible source that points to a nuclear plant that was built and operates without subsidies. If nothing else, the fundamental research that established the entire industry was built on subsidies from the US and various European governments that uncovered nuclear power, the very idea of chain reactions, the feasibility and technology of reactors, etc. Given the combination of safety and waste issues that plague the industry (yes, I know, not too many nuclear accidents yet--the problem, though, is, it will only take one big to create a gigantic disaster, unlike solar, wind, or wave power), it doesn't seem unfair to ask for comparable investments in basic research for other sources of slternative energy that don't have the same problems. The only reason many people accept the nuclear subsidies is that they have already been made. |
