# Still support nuke power plants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647 "2011-03-14T11:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 64
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1261 "2011-04-01T18:35:08Z")
Wind power would cost half that. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1262 "2011-04-01T18:37:43Z")
> **[Is nuclear power safe?](https://www.straightdope.com/21344082/is-nuclear-power-safe)** ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1263 "2011-04-01T18:40:54Z")
What was the point of linking to The Masters article on how safe nuclear is? Was there a point you wanted to make? I can’t see how it helps your case, to be honest, but I’m curious. Do you have a credible cite that the true costs of wind power are 5 cents a kW/h? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1264 "2011-04-01T18:58:19Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > What was the point of linking to The Masters article on how safe nuclear is? Was there a point you wanted to make? I can’t see how it helps your case, to be honest, but I’m curious. > > Do you have a credible cite that the true costs of wind power are 5 cents a kW/h? > > -XT And runs day and night, 24/7. I’ve flown over wind farms many a time when they weren’t turning. They make great artwork when idle. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1265 "2011-04-01T19:14:49Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > And runs day and night, 24/7. I’ve flown over wind farms many a time when they weren’t turning. They make great artwork when idle. That’s why we install large wind arrays that span many different “wind zones” let’s call them. It’s the principle of “it’s always windy somewhere.” One turbine can get clogged with Spotted Owls and shut down, and you’ve already calculated that into your plans and the wind power network still has a reliable baseload power production. Add a quick, cleanish gas turbine to it for demand peaks, and you’re all set. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1266 "2011-04-01T19:29:46Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Huh? > > That statement flies in the face of our experience with technology in which we have seen televisions go from zero to well over 90% of American households in the 15 year period from covering just before the 50’s to the mid-sixties, and the much more sudden penetration of PCs and then smart-phones with touch screen displays, both also from near zero to massive penetration in very short periods of time. > > If the money was there production can be ramped up extremely quickly. If the profit and the demand was there the same factories that make computer chips could be converted to make solar chips in a matter of months. > > Solar will not be the backbone of America’s future energy production, and won’t obviate the need for a variety of other low CO2 sources (including in my mind some nuclear), but not because solar unit production couldn’t keep up. Wrong commodity. I’m talking about the world indium supply. If it were just a matter of digging up more indium, I wouldn’t have any research to do. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1267 "2011-04-01T19:35:33Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > And runs day and night, 24/7. I’ve flown over wind farms many a time when they weren’t turning. They make great artwork when idle. Do you honestly believe that any calculations of windpower are based on 100% of rated capacity? Or is this another time of bringing up the intermittency issue (which has been discussed quite throughly here already)? ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1268 "2011-04-01T20:25:52Z")
Wind and solar don’t work all the time. Unlike nuclear, which is reliable and trouble free. And so much less expensive. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1269 "2011-04-01T20:34:54Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > Wind and solar don’t work all the time. Unlike nuclear, which is reliable and trouble free. And so much less expensive. Chernobyl is already up to $200 billion. On a per/MW energy produced basis, that’s a steal. I think. Ask **xtisme**. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1270 "2011-04-01T20:37:17Z")
The only reason everybody doesn’t have clean safe nuclear power plants is stupid people. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1271 "2011-04-01T20:41:16Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Do you honestly believe that any calculations of windpower are based on 100% of rated capacity? Or is this another time of bringing up the intermittency issue (which has been discussed quite throughly here already)? I know a power plant producing nothing when I see it. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1272 "2011-04-01T20:45:19Z")
Unlike nuclear plants, wind often ends up costing a lot, then they shut it down, with out ever seeing a bit of power. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1273 "2011-04-01T20:58:14Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I know a power plant producing nothing when I see it. What you see is one part of a large system not moving, which is how they’re designed. Another reason you may not see them moving is because the current price of electricity is near zero and they don’t have the transmission lines to sell it, so they don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1274 "2011-04-01T21:07:25Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > What you see is one part of a large system not moving, which is how they’re designed. > > Another reason you may not see them moving is because the current price of electricity is near zero and they don’t have the transmission lines to sell it, so they don’t. Uh huh. So we build a huge wind farm for the purposes of what again? If they aren’t turning, they’re public art. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1275 "2011-04-01T21:25:37Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Uh huh. So we build a huge wind farm for the purposes of what again? If they aren’t turning, they’re public art. Fortunately, not in the same way the Chernobyl sarcophagus is public art. Although, Ukraine is so strapped for money to pay for it, they’re opening it up for tourism. I’d go; it’s probably cool. Wouldn’t stay long though. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1276 "2011-04-01T21:26:17Z")
btw. [Vestas unveils massive 7MW offshore wind turbine](http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/vestas-unveils-massive-7mw-offshore-wind-turbine/15257/) . it’s supposed to cut the price by 40%. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1277 "2011-04-01T22:05:14Z")
But when them offshore wind turbines spring a leak, they can poison thousands of miles of ocean. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1278 "2011-04-01T22:11:53Z")
[QUOTE=Rune] btw. Vestas unveils massive 7MW offshore wind turbine . it’s supposed to cut the price by 40%. [/QUOTE] What’s it cost? I seem to recall one of those bigger wind turbines was like 20-30 million Euros…not including all the infrastructure you need to put it in place and get the power back to the grid. -XT ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1279 "2011-04-01T22:40:26Z")
How much would an offshore nuclear plant cost? Think of the time it would save when something goes wrong. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1280 "2011-04-01T23:03:06Z")
How about an off-planet nuclear power plant? We could build one on the moon, use really expensive nuclear fuel to boil water (boiling water is easy on the moon), use that to make steam, which can power turbines, which can produce electricity, that can be converted into microwaves, which can then be beamed back to the earth, wherever it’s needed, safely and affordably. No proliferation or terrorism concerns. If they can get up there, it will be too complicated for them to bring anything back. It’s genius! Lemme call the IAEA! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647.md?page=65)