Australian PM says nuclear power inevitable - Reuters

[Eugene]

Australian PM says nuclear power inevitable
29 Dec 2006 05:27:25 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Fayen Wong

SYDNEY, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Prime Minister John Howard said on Friday nuclear energy
was an inevitable option for Australia after the release of a report which found that
25 nuclear reactors could significantly cut greenhouse gases.

Howard said the government would respond officially to the report's recommendations
early in 2007, but added that the final decision on nuclear power would be made on a
commercial basis.

-snip-

The government-commissioned report said Australia, with about 40 percent of the world's
uranium, could have 25 nuclear reactors producing about one-third of the nation's
electricity by 2050.

-snip-

Howard only recently conceded that global warming was a reality and his critics say he
is now pushing nuclear energy in a bid to bolster his environmental credentials ahead
of a national election due by the end of 2007.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SYD139685.htm

[cdnwannabe]

1. Howard might not be the only one saying this some day....

it may be inevitable for most of the world before long. I think I read somewhere that something like 40% of France's energy is generated from nuclear facilities. And apparently they are very well-built and safe reactors.

[TheMadMonk]

2. Cripes. Even the worst of Russia's are safer than coal.

in terms of deaths per unit of energy generated. Global warming related deaths such as the 30K in the European heatwave only skew this disparity further.

[GliderGuider]

3. France's power is actually 75% to 80% nuclear

Like it or not, it's the wave of the future. ABC - Anything But Coal.

[NNadir]

4. As of 2004, 40% of France's total primary energy consumption was nuclear.

77% of France's electricity was nuclear.

The difference has to do with primary energy vs. electrical energy.

The French do import oil for cars and other uses.

[cdnwannabe]

5. But I'm sure we can agree on one thing...

and that's France will be much better prepared for the end of cheap fossil fuel...

[NNadir]

6. France is a better condition than any major nation.

It has electrified rails, mass transit, nuclear power and a political establishment that pays serious attention to scientists and engineers.

No one would argue that France is perfect - and certainly their nuclear establishment is not perfect. However you don't have to be perfect to better than everyone else. They are better than everyone else.

One nation that is trying to become more like France is Japan. This is a wise choice.