Who will pay the costs of Nuclear Power?
It seems a tragedy that we haven't learned the lessons of low tech energy sources,
as they have been correctly described
BUT:
Who will pay the costs of decommissioning nuclear plants? In Ontario, as in other
places, the first plants are nearing their 40 year life-expectancy. Built at public expense,
they are now to be sold to the private sector, but will not have an attractive price if the
actual decommissioning costs are included. So these costs are stranded.
As new plants are built close to population centers, because they are considered safe,
who will pay the costs of low-level irradiation? Science, as used by the utilities, both
public and private, disputes this risk, of course.
Were the studies at Three Mile Island of cancer deaths made along the exhaust
plume's path, or just in a circle around the plant? Who are the ones paying, but
remain unknown, because the science is objective?
Who will pay the costs when there is an accident at a nuclear power plant? In
Canada, there is a statutory limit of $75 million in liability. How much did the Three
Mile Island cleanup cost? The Darlington nuclear megaplant on Lake Ontario, near
Toronto, cost in excess of $12 billion. How much will the cost be to
clean it up?
The environmentalist's credo is REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, and of these, the most important is REDUCE. We know who benefits from MORE, NEW, THROWAWAY
Once thought "too cheap to meter", we now know there are costs--but who will pay?
Another reason why technology is not the remedy for problems caused by technology.