Added to the cost of every plant is decommissioning costs, averaging
about $300 million to over $1 billion, depending upon the amount of
energy the plant is designed to produce. The nuclear industry proudly
points to studies that show the cost to produce energy from nuclear
reactors is still less expensive than the costs from coal, gas, and oil.
The industry also rightly points out that nukes produce about one-fifth
all energy, with no emissions, such as those from the fossil fuels.
For more than six decades, this nation essentially sold its soul for
what it thought was cheap energy that may not be so cheap, and clean
energy that is not so clean.
It is necessary to ask the critical question. Even if there were no
human, design, and manufacturing errors; even if there could be
assurance there would be no accidental leaks and spills of
radioactivity; even if there became a way to safely and efficiently
dispose of long-term radioactive waste; even if all of this was
possible, can the nation, struggling in a recession while giving
subsidies to the nuclear industry, afford to build more nuclear
generating plants at the expense of solar, wind, and geothermal energy?