[epithermal]

I am all for nuclear power, but it is a highly government subsidized industry according to some information I have read:

No Corporate Welfare for Nuclear Power

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3134

I have had a lot of experience on the projects to dispose of nuclear waste, such as the Yucca project, but I am no expert on the economics of nuclear power. I am really concerned that 0dumbo and Reid have killed the Yucca Mountain project which I consider to be safe.

[brivette]

I worked for Ston&Webster Eng. for a number of years, working on balance of plant designs for reactors that were never built.

[BikerJoe]

I am all for nuclear power, but it is a highly government subsidized industry according to some information I have read:

Sounds fair....from their perspective, they're probably thinking: "They regulated us into the ground, so let'em help fund new construction..."

After all, I wonder what percentage of the cost of a new plant is due to regulatory issues/changes after the beginning of construction?

[SeeSac]

Your link (see text below) lists three items as show stoppers for the nuclear industry. #1 is the insurance. That has not cost the taxpayers a single penney. In fact, utilities have poured millions into the fund which is held by the government. #2 is the federal disposal of waste. That has not cost the taxpayers a single penney. In fact, utilities have poured millions into the fund which is held by the government. #3 is ‘greasing the skids’. This is NOT funding and the use of the term ‘greasing the skids’ is indicative that the author has a gripe with the nuclear industry and his emotions are clouding the facts.

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In fact, a recent report by Scully Capital Services, an investment banking and financial services firm, commissioned by the Department of Energy (DOE), highlighted three federal subsidies and regulations — termed “show stoppers” — without which the industry would grind to a halt. These “show stoppers” include the Price Anderson Act, which limits the liability of the nuclear industry in case of a serious nuclear accident — leaving taxpayers on the hook for potentially hundreds of billions in compensation costs; federal disposal of nuclear waste in a permanent repository, which will save the industry billions at taxpayer expense; and licensing regulations, wherein the report recommends that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission further grease the skids of its quasi-judicial licensing process to preclude successful interventions from opponents.

[chimera]

There are no subsidies. The plant operators pay 100% of the cost of their liability insurance, which is provided by private insurers. They pay for their fuel. They pay into a fund to assure that their plants can be eventually decommissioned and disposed of (the only industry that does this). They pay into a fund which is supposed to provide for long-term management of the waste generated (again, the only industry that does this). There are no laws on the books that require power distributors to purchase nuclear-generated electricity (unlike wind and solar energy, where distribution companies are mandated by law to purchase their power when it is available). Did you know that the nuclear industry also pays 100% of the cost to the federal government for the “privilege” of being regulated? Once again, it is the only industry that is required by law to pay for 100% of the cost of its own regulation. The aviation industry doesn't. The telecommunications industry doesn't. The banking industry doesn't.