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The Future of the Nuclear Industry Reconsidered : Risks, Uncertainties, and Continued PotentialSkeptics point out, with some justification, that the nuclear industry's prospects were dimmed by escalating costs long before Fukushima. If history is any guide, one direct consequence of the calamity in Japan will be more stringent safety requirements and regulatory delays that will inevitably increase the costs of nuclear power and further undermine its economic viability. For nuclear power to play a major role in meeting the future global energy needs and mitigating the threat of climate change, the hazards of another Fukushima and the construction delays and costs escalation that have plagued the industry will have to be substantially reduced. One promising direction for nuclear development might be to downsize reactors from the gigawatt scale to less-complex smaller units that are more affordable. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are scalable nuclear power plant designs that promise to reduce investment risks through incremental capacity expansion; become more standardized and reduce costs through accelerated learning effects; and address concerns about catastrophic events, since they contain substantially smaller radioactive inventory. Given their lower capital requirements and small size, which makes them suitable for small electric grids, SMRs can more effectively address the energy needs of small developing countries.
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Nuclear Wastelands: A Global Guide to Nuclear Weapons Production and Its Health and Environmental EffectsThis extensive collection of papers provides histories of the development of nuclear weapons programs in various countries and surveys the effects of the development on human health and the environment. It discusses the nations involved in uranium mining, nuclear material production, weapon testing, and weapon deployment. The authors consistently refer back to the costs of managing radioactive waste, and discuss governmental deception about potential health effects. Information uncovered about the former Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons program is also provided.
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Nuclear Wastelands: A Global Guide to Nuclear Weapons Production and Its Health and Environmental EffectsThis extensive collection of papers provides histories of the development of nuclear weapons programs in various countries and surveys the effects of the development on human health and the environment. It discusses the nations involved in uranium mining, nuclear material production, weapon testing, and weapon deployment. The authors consistently refer back to the costs of managing radioactive waste, and discuss governmental deception about potential health effects. Information uncovered about the former Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons program is also provided.