General Category > Economy/Business
How two cutting edge U.S. nuclear projects bankrupted Westinghouse
Sanguine:
--- Quote from: thackney on May 08, 2017, 01:50:25 pm ---You chose to use the word. You don't have any idea what you meant?
I really do know. I have looked it up. That is why the claim doesn't make any sense.
In over 3 decades, the world produced greater that 6 GWH of energy growth from coal while producing less than 2 GWH of energy growth from nuclear. We didn't choose far greater amounts of coal power because nuclear was far cheaper.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/world/as-appetite-for-electricity-soars-the-world-keeps-turning-to-coal/1842/
--- End quote ---
How much of the cost of nuclear is regulatory?
thackney:
--- Quote from: Sanguine on June 15, 2017, 05:13:26 pm ---How much of the cost of nuclear is regulatory?
--- End quote ---
In the US, the frequently changing regulations are quite expensive. But I don't see that being a major obstruction over the past few decades in countries like China and India. They built more coal over nuclear for real economic reasons.
Joe Wooten:
The biggest reason for the cost overruns at Vogtle/Summer is an inexperienced construction workforce, especially management. Costs for the last round of nuke construction were high because we tried to build way too many at the same time, diluting the workforce. Then after an almost 30 year layoff, we tried again, but this time almost all the experienced nuclear construction folks had retired or died with no replacements. Watts Bar 2 ran over because of stupid management decision at the re-start of the construction, and then the same happened for Vogtle and Summer.
I am among the youngest of the engineers who built and started up the last batch of plants, and I am 61. The guys who were our managers back then, especially the good ones, were at least 10 years older, most were 20 years older. I hope we can keep an small cadre of experienced nuclear construction managers/engineers/craft active when Vogtle and Summer go online. Maybe, if all goes well, someone will order another one.
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