3 ms·

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31689996 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31689996

adastra22 4y ago
From your linked post: > after decades of often huge projects in many nations there is not a single industrial fast breeder reactor working satisfactorily The key word is "industrial." I assume you mean this as a synonym for "commercial." Let me emphasize the part of my original post, which you are replying to: > Nuclear waste is only a problem *if you don’t allow breeder reactors* There have been, as you link to, dozens of research fast breeder reactor in almost all the nuclear-signatory countries. Many of these "research" reactors operated continuously for decades providing consistent power, and were only shut down when the plant reached end-of-life. They were/are operated by government-run research organizations because only these organizations have the authority to run new / unapproved nuclear reactor designs. And they remain unapproved for commercial use due to political reasons ranging from general fear of nuclear power, lobbying from energy companies (for whom traditional designs are more profitable, externalities be damned), and fear over nuclear proliferation since the uranium-based reactors technically produce some weapons-grade material in their fuel cycle. The last point is a major one, but manageable if there was political will to do so. We know how to build fast breeder reactors economically. We're just not allowed to.
- natmaka 4y ago
  > were only shut down when the plant reached end-of-life Which one can be described this way? As far as I know all were and are plagued with problems (mainly liquid sodium leaks, which is not fun at all). > fear of nuclear power, lobbying from energy companies (for whom traditional designs are more profitable, externalities be damned), and fear over nuclear proliferation In most nations research were conducted for decades, this is difficult to explain if such hostility was real. Fear of nuclear power is weak here, as breeders reduce the amount of dangerous waste. The most mature and advanced breeders are in Russia, and all those reason simply don't apply there as governments always were pro-nuclear, without any serious opposition, controlling energy companies, and not really afraid of proliferation because they always export according to their own strategic views.

From your linked post: > after decades of often huge projects in many nations there is not a single industrial fast breeder reactor working satisfactorily The key word is "industrial." I assume you mean this as a synonym for "commercial." Let me emphasize the part of my original post, which you are replying to: > Nuclear waste is only a problem *if you don’t allow breeder reactors* There have been, as you link to, dozens of research fast breeder reactor in almost all the nuclear-signatory countries. Many of these "research" reactors operated continuously for decades providing consistent power, and were only shut down when the plant reached end-of-life. They were/are operated by government-run research organizations because only these organizations have the authority to run new / unapproved nuclear reactor designs. And they remain unapproved for commercial use due to political reasons ranging from general fear of nuclear power, lobbying from energy companies (for whom traditional designs are more profitable, externalities be damned), and fear over nuclear proliferation since the uranium-based reactors technically produce some weapons-grade material in their fuel cycle. The last point is a major one, but manageable if there was political will to do so. We know how to build fast breeder reactors economically. We're just not allowed to.

natmaka 4y ago
> were only shut down when the plant reached end-of-life Which one can be described this way? As far as I know all were and are plagued with problems (mainly liquid sodium leaks, which is not fun at all). > fear of nuclear power, lobbying from energy companies (for whom traditional designs are more profitable, externalities be damned), and fear over nuclear proliferation In most nations research were conducted for decades, this is difficult to explain if such hostility was real. Fear of nuclear power is weak here, as breeders reduce the amount of dangerous waste. The most mature and advanced breeders are in Russia, and all those reason simply don't apply there as governments always were pro-nuclear, without any serious opposition, controlling energy companies, and not really afraid of proliferation because they always export according to their own strategic views.