Reply #125: The nuclear industry would not exist as a commercial entity

[fedsron2us]

if the cost of dealing with accidents was not explicitly underwritten by governments using taxpayers money as in the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industry Indemnity Act and its equivalents elsewhere in the world. Those who claim that the nuclear industry is as safe as other forms of energy production need to explain why can you buy insurance in the open market to cover accidents governing gas, oil, coal extraction etc and fossil fuel power plants but not for nuclear facilities. The reluctance of the insurers to offer cover says all you need to know about the potential risks.

In Japan it looks likely that most of the cost of the nuclear disaster will fall on the taxpayer not TEPCO

http://m.smh.com.au/world/taxpayers-slugged-with-most-of-cleanup-cost-20110324-1c8ed.html