4 ms·

I would argue that ratepayers would lose significantly more, in the form of iq decreases, cancer, early death from air pollution, and ongoing, worsening weathe

by mlsu 3y ago

I would argue that ratepayers would lose significantly more, in the form of iq decreases, cancer, early death from air pollution, and ongoing, worsening weather damage from climate change were this plant not constructed and the grid powered from natgas or coal instead. I hate these discussions about power, because in every case the quoted price of alternatives does not factor in the huge and obvious externalities.

toomuchtodo 3y ago
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2023/01/2024-one-fourth-us-electricity-will-come-renewables-eia https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2023/01/2024-... (By 2024, one-fourth of U.S. electricity will come from renewables: EIA) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-power-regulator-weigh-plans-speed-up-green-energy-connection-2023-07-27/ https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-power-regulator-we... (US moves to link more wind and solar projects to electric grid) ("Today there is more than 2,000 gigawatts of renewable power waiting to be connected to the grid -- nearly double the amount of current U.S. generation capacity, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Acting (FERC) Chairman Willie Phillips said at a press conference following the unanimous vote.") https://www.energy-storage.news/us-utility-scale-battery-storage-industry-deployed-4gw-12gwh-in-record-breaking-2022/ https://www.energy-storage.news/us-utility-scale-battery-sto... (US utility-scale battery storage industry deployed 4GW/12GWh in record-breaking 2022) https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/31/turning-america-into-a-solar-manufacturing-powerhouse/ https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/31/turning-america-into-a-... (Turning America Into A Solar Manufacturing Powerhouse) Low carbon power from Vogtle is welcome, because it's here and what is done is done, but there is no point in throwing good money after bad on commercial fission.
llsf 3y ago
I would add to the list of externalities if we do not build more nuclear power plants: CHAOS chaos that will ensue when we will reach peak oil/gas/coal, as we extract and consume faster than earth produce them. When the price to extract oil/gas/coal would be too high, chaos will result of our economies addiction to fossil fuel. The sooner we use alternatives the better. Housing: So, yes, it is annoying to have new house built with only electricity (i.e. without a gas line) but unless energy becomes super abundant and cheap so we can create gas (out of CO2 and water), electricity is the best bet long run. Transportation: Same, the sooner we can electrify transportation the better starting with trucks and trains. Boats and planes might get the last drop of oil. Industry: Should get incentives to move to electricity. And all electricity should be eventually non-fossil (nuclear + solar + wind + hydro).

by mlsu 3y ago

toomuchtodo 3y ago

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2023/01/2024-one-fourth-us-electricity-will-come-renewables-eia https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news-release/2023/01/2024-... (By 2024, one-fourth of U.S. electricity will come from renewables: EIA) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-power-regulator-weigh-plans-speed-up-green-energy-connection-2023-07-27/ https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-power-regulator-we... (US moves to link more wind and solar projects to electric grid) ("Today there is more than 2,000 gigawatts of renewable power waiting to be connected to the grid -- nearly double the amount of current U.S. generation capacity, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Acting (FERC) Chairman Willie Phillips said at a press conference following the unanimous vote.") https://www.energy-storage.news/us-utility-scale-battery-storage-industry-deployed-4gw-12gwh-in-record-breaking-2022/ https://www.energy-storage.news/us-utility-scale-battery-sto... (US utility-scale battery storage industry deployed 4GW/12GWh in record-breaking 2022) https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/31/turning-america-into-a-solar-manufacturing-powerhouse/ https://cleantechnica.com/2023/03/31/turning-america-into-a-... (Turning America Into A Solar Manufacturing Powerhouse) Low carbon power from Vogtle is welcome, because it's here and what is done is done, but there is no point in throwing good money after bad on commercial fission.

llsf 3y ago

I would add to the list of externalities if we do not build more nuclear power plants: CHAOS chaos that will ensue when we will reach peak oil/gas/coal, as we extract and consume faster than earth produce them. When the price to extract oil/gas/coal would be too high, chaos will result of our economies addiction to fossil fuel. The sooner we use alternatives the better. Housing: So, yes, it is annoying to have new house built with only electricity (i.e. without a gas line) but unless energy becomes super abundant and cheap so we can create gas (out of CO2 and water), electricity is the best bet long run. Transportation: Same, the sooner we can electrify transportation the better starting with trucks and trains. Boats and planes might get the last drop of oil. Industry: Should get incentives to move to electricity. And all electricity should be eventually non-fossil (nuclear + solar + wind + hydro).