After Fukushima: A Changing Climate For Nuclear

[Bob Wallace]

1. Investing in nuclear, a huge risk...

Get in early and it's going to be twenty years or more before you break even - just get your investment back but no earnings.

What could happen in those 20 years?

Another TMI/Chernobyl/Fukushima. People decide that they just don't want the risk of nuclear in their back yard and shut you down.

Solar prices drop as expected and affordable battery storage is developed. With wind already around $0.05/kWh and solar expected to reach that level in the next few years. All that is needed is storage for around a nickle per kWh and we're looking at 24/365 power at a dime or less. Far below the cost of new nuclear. If you're the most expensive provider you won't sell your product.

Temperatures continue to rise and droughts become more common. Water tables continue to fall. Lack of cooling water requires thermal plants to close for significant parts of the year, making it impossible to pay the loans.