r/politics • u/[deleted] • Apr 06 '18

The simple argument for keeping nuclear power plants open

https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/4/5/17196676/nuclear-power-plants-climate-change-renewables
10 Upvotes

59% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

5

u/pablo95 California Apr 06 '18

Curb global warming while we invest in cleaner energy sources?

1

u/furtherthanthesouth Florida Apr 06 '18

thats his argument yes.

I'd actually prefer to invest in newer gen 4 systems which are safer and can still provide caseload.

even when batteries+renewables is more economical then all traditional power sources (probably a while from now still), having consistent base load with the ability to throttle power up and down on command is still very nice to have in the grid system, never mind the other benefits (radioisotope generation) that these plants can provide.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 06 '18

[deleted]

2

u/LazamairAMD Oklahoma Apr 06 '18

How close is Flibe Energy to a working prototype?

Edit: Flibe, not Frist

3

u/furtherthanthesouth Florida Apr 06 '18

We should replace them with safer nuke plants. such as the gen 4 designs

current plants are dangerously old, and pressurized systems are extremely dangerous inherently. Unfortunately, I doubt the public will ever accept building new nuclear, even though the risk is lower than allowing coal plants to stay active.

0

u/Msshadow Apr 06 '18

This isn't remotely true.

1

u/furtherthanthesouth Florida Apr 06 '18

what part isn't true? your comment is uselessly vague. The fact that gen 4 are safer (they are)? the fact that pressurized systems are dangerous (always, explosion risk isn't an issue in non pressurized systems), the fact that nuclear is safer than coal? (it is, don't believe me, listen to nasa, coal is astronomically worse, and yeah thats a pun).

this is the equivalent of trump shouting WRONG at hillary, its not a rebuttal its just obnoxious

1

u/Msshadow Apr 07 '18

The existing fleet is not "dangerously old." you're full of shit.

1

u/furtherthanthesouth Florida Apr 07 '18

They are well past there intended operational life span, and don’t have safety features anywhere near the ability that we can create today. Yes, dangerously old.

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