Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinordi
There's so many incredible subsidies to the nuclear industry that aren't accounted for in the levelized price. First just look at the billions of dollars that went into AECL, which the government then sold for $130 million. Worst investment ever. Second, if nuclear operators are so competitive why can't they buy insurance? No insurance company in the world will insure a nuclear facility. So those costs are socialized to the taxpayer. Nuclear operators also usually get sweetened land and water rentals to build the economic case. And the final disposal is not the utility's problem. THe final disposal is also one of the most costly steps of using nuclear power. No matter which way you slice it, nuclear is incredibly expensive once you really start looking at all the implicit subsidies they receive.
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It depends on the country but the utility or technology owner is generally responsible for disposal of wastes and are often responsible for the funding of the agencies that control that disposal. ANDRA in France is a good example. The nuclear operators are legislated to have decommissioning funds and funds to deal with wastes set aside. In France this amounts to something like $50 billion between AREVA and EdF (if I remember the number correctly from a few weeks ago at the ICEM conference in Reims)
In Canada it is the NWMO that is funded by the utilities and established in 2002 through an act of parliament. They are responsible for doing all the work behind where to dispose of waste and give recommendations (government chooses the solution they think is best). The companies then have to finance the disposal. The UK has similar agencies.
There will always be government money involved in some way shape or form just as there is if it was coal or oil burning plant or other green energy (or industry for that matter). Countries have energy policies for a reason. I'd say even 10 years ago you would be correct but not today. Today the utilities companies need to and do factor these things into the cost of operation.