this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2023
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ATLANTA (AP) — A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new American reactor built from scratch in decades.

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[–] Wirrvogel@feddit.de 17 points 2 years ago (15 children)

The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion.

The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.

A reactor that starts being built today will cost way more and will be delayed way more than these and they are already at least 14 years in the making not counted for the planning phase and 7 years late to be producing power and no they are not fully powered yet, because it takes another 1-2 years to get them to full power, not to mention drought and war threats.

Nuclear will not play any role in fighting climate change. A reactor starting planning today will most likely just replace an old model that is falling apart and to dismantle that and keep the parts safe somewhere costs another fortune.

[–] FaceDeer@kbin.social 20 points 2 years ago (10 children)

Ironically, a major reason for this is environmentalists themselves. Nuclear power would be way cheaper if it wasn't for their panic over things that contain atoms.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 11 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I really doubt that environmental regulations more than doubled the price. Especially when they knew about those regulations when they were planning it.

[–] QHC@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Protests against nuclear power have certainly helped prevent many counties, US included, from investing in new reactors over the last 30+ years.

[–] Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social 6 points 2 years ago

Right, but unless nuclear energy regulations have changed significantly since they started planning it wouldn't have increased the cost.

Or maybe it costs $15 billion to drag some hippies out of the way, I don't know.

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