Small (nuclear) reactors could figure into U.S. energy future

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/12/13/small-reactors-could-figure-us-energy-future

[font size="5"]Small reactors could figure into U.S. energy future[/font]
By Steve Koppes
December 13, 2011

A newly released study from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation.

“Clearly, a robust commercial SMR industry is highly advantageous to many sectors in the United States,” concluded the study, led by Robert Rosner, institute director and the William Wrather Distinguished Service Professor in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

…

At the Center for Strategic and International Studies event on Dec. 1, CSIS president and CEO John Hamre said that economic issues have hindered the construction of new large-scale reactors in the United States. The key challenge facing the industry is the seven-to-nine-year gap between making a commitment to build a nuclear plant and revenue generation.

Few companies can afford to wait that long to see a return on the $10 billion investment that a large-scale nuclear plant would require. “This is a real problem,” Hamre said, but the advent of the small modular reactor “offers the promise of factory construction efficiencies and a much shorter timeline.”

…

The full reports can be downloaded at the Energy Policy Institute website: http://epic.uchicago.edu/page/publications-and-presentations .

[izquierdista]

1. I could go along with this

As long as the reactor was buried deep enough to 'abandon in place' when it was no longer useful. The solution to the problem of nuclear waste has been known for a long time -- put the reactors where they cannot come into contact with the biosphere.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. Could you bury a reactor so deeply that it could not be dug up again?

And would it still be useful if you could?

[izquierdista]

3. Yes....like half a mile or so.

In abandoned mines. You would need a long extension cord, but it would be short in comparison with the one from Hoover Dam to Los Angeles.

If you want to read the article, it is here: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=ebb6e116-e5fa-4dfd-8852-a7b1398bd97d%40sessionmgr115&vid=2&hid=126

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. Wow Mr. Peabody. Thanks for the trip in the wayback machine

It’s an interesting concept…

[DCKit]

5. Two words: "Water Table" nt

[izquierdista]

6. 7 words

You didn't read the article, did you?