Saturday, August 12, 2006

Our Nuclear Summer

For all the arguments made by the opponents of nuclear power -- that it is uneconomical, unsafe, a potential boon to terrorists, poses waste-disposal issues, and all the rest -- nuclear's biggest threat may come from the one problem it is purported to address: climate change.

If, as many climatologists suggest, the heat waves in Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere are an indication of shifts in global climate patterns, it could spell doom for nuclear power, whose viability is directly linked to the availability of adequate water supplies.

3 comments:

Jv said...

I simply agree. Using nuclear power would just lead to a more sudden climate change, deterioration of the ozone layer, global warming, etc. Nuclear waste would be produced and in turn can affect civilians, and residents nearby if there is a nuclear leakage. Love the environment/nature and don't go against it.

I've just recently noticed that my blog was included in one of your posts and blogroll. Thank you. I enjoy reading your posts. Cheers! - JV.

James Aach said...

An interesting take on this issue, and it may indeed be a valid one for building nuclear plants in areas with limited water supplies. Fortunately, nuclear plants can use ocean water for cooling, which leaves one large source intact even if the water is a few degrees warmer. Very large rivers and large lakes are also common sources and would not be as likely to be affected. Electricity is also a very transportable power supply, so you don't always need water right at the source of the power use. But if you're talking about building plants inland in areas threatened by desertification, you're right.

If you'd like a fast-paced look at the real world of nuclear power in the United States (good and bad), see my novel "Rad Decision" at http://RadDecision.blogspot.com.

"I'd like to Rad Decision widely read." - Stewart Brand, futurist and founder of The Whole Earth Catalog.

Eric McErlain said...

Like most anti-nuke claims, there's less here than meets the eye, and the simple addition of a cooling tower would eliminate the problem.