Nuclear Power

[jgoose71 0]

Got the rest of the story from the Yucca Mountain web site

http://www.yuccamountain.org/new.htm

Another decision made on ideals, not reality. Just like Gitmo.

On the flip side, I guess we better start recycling soon or we are screwed and will have to start shutting down reactors. Got to do something with the waste.

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[nerdgirl 0]

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Seriously, does anyone know what the hold up is?

One piece that doesn’t get much attention in the popular debate has to do with manufacturing capacity.

Japan Steel Works is the only supplier of 600MT castings that are required for reactor vessels. They do 4-6/y, aim to increase to 10-12/y. There’s a line. Japan Steel Works charges to *get* in line; countries/companies are selling their spot in line to high bidders. In the US, Babcock & Wilcox (who manages DOE’s Y-12 as part of consortia) is looking to upscale capability but even the best scenarios would not have the manufacturing capacity is limited. One alternative, that is still years away, are smaller designs.

The ban on reprocessing originated during President Ford's Adminstration as a response to India's "Smiling Buddha" nuclear weapons test. President Reagan lifted the domestic ban on reprocessing, but no commercial entity has pursued it.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[kelpdiver 2]

Dude, if you had this inaccurate an impression on Yucca, maybe it's time to review all your knowledge on the subject?

and for the record, proliferation = dangerous. It's not an idle political concern.

[billeisele 130]

Seriously, does anyone know what the hold up is? Why aren't we using this stuff? Or is it just safer to have a "nuclear landfill?"

[Andy9o8 2]

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for the record, proliferation = dangerous. It's not an idle political concern.

On the other hand, who wouldn't jump at a chance to be Spiderman?
I'm just saying.

[billvon 3,116]

>Got to do something with the waste.

Honestly, I don't think dry cask storage is all that bad. It's cheap, easy and has been demonstrated to be pretty safe. Add vitrification to that if you're worried about vessel integrity.

[Calvin19 0]

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>Got to do something with the waste.

Honestly, I don't think dry cask storage is all that bad. It's cheap, easy and has been demonstrated to be pretty safe. Add vitrification to that if you're worried about vessel integrity.

transportation of the fuel rods/waste is just as scary and expensive as storing it. I remember it being a big deal here in Colorado while Rocky Flats was being torn apart (metaphorically and literally) [nuke weapon trigger building, not power, sadly]

[jgoose71 0]

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Dude, if you had this inaccurate an impression on Yucca, maybe it's time to review all your knowledge on the subject?

and for the record, proliferation = dangerous. It's not an idle political concern.

We all know proliferation is bad. That was the politics that got the original ban. We now know that proliferation is not a threat from reprocessing nuclear waste in the US, so what is the hold up?

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[billvon 3,116]

> We now know that proliferation is not a threat from reprocessing nuclear waste in the US . . .

?? I think it's still as much a threat as it ever was. What do you think has changed?

[jgoose71 0]

Nothing, we just realized the actual threat and know that the security in place will do the job.

"There is an art, it says, or, rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."
Life, the Universe, and Everything

[virgin-burner 1]

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Take a look at this and try again...the pics and her rad counter tell the tale...
http://www.kiddofspeed.com/

thanks for posting that; i've just spent half a working day on that site.. AMAZING!!!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[kelpdiver 2]

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Nothing, we just realized the actual threat and know that the security in place will do the job.

You didn't even know where nuclear waste was being stored. How can you know that security in place will do the job? And more importantly, how do you know that security will get it done when there is a lot more fissionable material to steal?

[ryoder 1,590]

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Some breeders run on raw (unenriched) uranium, and others can run on thorium, which is a common metal.

Interesting article on thorium in the latest issue of Wired:

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_new_nukes/

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.