"Not having enough uranium for a sustained large nuclear program has been known for a long time Wharfy. "
Unfortunately, not by enuf of the right people. Any plant coming on-line after 2020 is gonna have problems finding fuel.
The world has hit the energy wall. Consider, for example, the fact that China and India want to be us. These 3 countries alone would be using 9/4 of the world's annual oil production. I just can't see that happening.
Published on Wednesday, May 2, 2001 in the Guardian of London
Going Backwards
Cheney Promises Big US Nuclear Power Expansion
by Martin Kettle in Washington, Paul Brown and Mark Milner
Mr Cheney has shrugged aside these difficulties, and given the government-owned British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), which two years ago bought the biggest US nuclear reactor designer, Westinghouse Electric, a huge boost.
Westinghouse has designed half the world's nuclear stations and 60% of those in the US. Eighteen months ago, after 14 years of work, its newest design, the AP600, was licensed by the US department of energy, but none has been built.
At 600MW, it is much smaller than previous Westinghouse station: half the size of Britain's newest nuclear station, Sizewell B in Suffolk, also a Westinghouse design.
The idea would be to build a series of them across the US. Mr Cheney said between 1,300 and 1,900 new generating plants would be needed. If Westinghouse built only a few of them it would make BNFL a very rich company.
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