4 ms·
""" Excessive concern about low levels of radiation led to a regulatory standard known as ALARA: As Low As Reasonably Achievable. What defines “reasonable”? It
by zby 5y ago
""" Excessive concern about low levels of radiation led to a regulatory standard known as ALARA: As Low As Reasonably Achievable. What defines “reasonable”? It is an ever-tightening standard. As long as the costs of nuclear plant construction and operation are in the ballpark of other modes of power, then they are reasonable.
This might seem like a sensible approach, until you realize that it eliminates, by definition, any chance for nuclear power to be cheaper than its competition. """
from: https://rootsofprogress.org/devanney-on-the-nuclear-flop https://rootsofprogress.org/devanney-on-the-nuclear-flop
- pfdietz 5y agoThe problem isn't that nuclear is regulated, the problem is that nuclear power plants are big, tightly coupled things where iterating the design takes decades. No technology with that long a feedback loop can survive if it has any competition improving at a modern technology pace. If nuclear plants were as nimble as PV or wind turbines they'd be able to easily work through regulatory requirements. As it stands, the technology is paralyzed, or even regressing.