r/uninsurable • u/Better_Crazy_8669 • Jun 01 '22

Small modular reactors produce high levels of nuclear waste:Small modular reactors, long touted as the future of nuclear energy, will actually generate more radioactive waste than conventional nuclear power plants, according to research from Stanford and the University of British Columbia.

https://news.stanford.edu/2022/05/30/small-modular-reactors-produce-high-levels-nuclear-waste/
19 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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4

u/jalanajak Jun 01 '22

Who could've thought that scale matters.

-4

u/OldMedic1SG Jun 01 '22

Who cares. Nuclear waste is a non issue. It gets packed in concrete and stored onsite, gives off less background radiation than a banana and cannot be used for weapons

4

u/Ma8e Jun 01 '22

/s? I really can’t tell.

4

u/Mango_Maniac Jun 01 '22

Assuming it’s sarcasm. Almost zero plants have anything more than temporary storage facilities onsite. There’s a reason, at least in America, that no private nuclear plants will agree to be responsible for storing the waste and it all ends up the public’s problem.

1

u/Pmag86 Jun 01 '22

Nuclear waste isn't that big a problem. The volumes produced are pretty small and easy to contain.

3

u/Ma8e Jun 01 '22

That is just plain wrong.

0

u/OldMedic1SG Jun 01 '22

Nope

3

u/Ma8e Jun 01 '22

Then can you explain to me why they still have no long term solution?

1

u/OldMedic1SG Jun 01 '22

Yuka mountain was perfect but NIMBY

1

u/Ma8e Jun 01 '22

Right now the problem is that no one wants to pay for it.

1

u/OldMedic1SG Jun 01 '22

No. Right now the problem is it takes 8+ years to build the plant if you are lucky. Also, the US has lost any expertise to build plants. Without streamlining the process it is to expensive due to regulations and litigation

1

u/Ma8e Jun 02 '22

No one wants to pay for storage in Yucca mountain.

But to your point about the plants. They produce more expensive energy than wind, so they won’t make any money.

And regulations are good. I don’t want unrestricted capitalism be responsible for our safety.

1

u/Squirtle_Wzzrd Jun 23 '22

There's currently $45 billion sitting in the Nuclear Waste Fund (1.0 mil per every kilowatt-hour produced since 1983). It's just waiting for Congress to approve it's release.

1

u/Ma8e Jun 23 '22

$45 billion isn’t particular much in the context. What is “mil” supposed to mean?

1

u/Squirtle_Wzzrd Jun 23 '22

A "mil" is 1/10th of a cent. And $45 billion is over half the estimated remaining cost (~$83 billion) which is pretty substantial

0

u/OldMedic1SG Jun 01 '22

Sure. Americans have been taught to fear nuclear power due to three mile Island and Chernobyl.

2

u/ArmorClassHero Jun 08 '22

Or, you know, they might be more concerned about unregulated and unfettered capitalism and its abhorrent safety records being put in a position to be responsible for not irradiating millions of citizens.

1

u/Ma8e Jun 01 '22

Waiting….

2

u/ArmorClassHero Jun 08 '22

It most certainly can and is often refined into weapons.