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Originally Posted by Azure
What I don't understand about the anti-nuclear perspective, especially in Canada and North America is that the team that upgraded the Bruce Power Unit 6, did it on time and on budget. So it is possible to not run into massive cost over runs.
And they did it during COVID.
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I'm not antinuclear. It would be awesome if we could provide carbon free energy with very little downside. The economics just mean it isn't likely to work though. This article goes through the various issues fairly well if you can get through the author's "know it all" style. Barnard is one if the smartest people in the space, but if you listen to any of his podcasts or read his writing, he'll make sure you know that. And he's Canadian.
https://cleantechnica.com/2023/11/30...lear-reactors/
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As a note, China couldn’t recreate the conditions for success despite having every ability to do so. Their nuclear program peaked in 2018 with seven reactors achieving commercial operation but has been averaging three reactors a year since. This year the single reactor that’s been connected to the grid may not achieve commercial operation
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While the Bruce story is great, it's vastly outnumbered by the opposite cases and they already had their "new nuclear" plant cancelled. There's way too much precedent suggesting a new plant will not be on time or in budget. The only US example since the 3 mile Island accident:
https://apnews.com/article/georgia-n...51be9115e88a64
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WAYNESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Two nuclear reactors in Georgia were supposed to herald a nuclear power revival in the United States. But the project is#seven years late and $17 billion over budget#as Georgia Power Co. announced the first new reactor at its Plant Vogtle could reach full electrical output by Saturday.
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People act like this is a new phenomenon due to changes in America's ability to build big things like red tape and bureaucracy. Except it's always been this awful. In 1986 a study found that the during the nuclear explosion in the 60's and 70's the projects were more than 200% over budget and way behind schedule. This is just how nuclear is in North America.
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6071600