Article: Experts Discuss Nuclear Power As Energy

[Guest guest]

This goes with the other articles I just sent.

 

Now et it be known, I'm not trying to spark a debate about energy 'cause

debate on this list about it is basically futile - we're not going to

solve the world's energy problems here *lol*.

 

This is more just a wake up call to folks to begin to truly learn all

about the energy options that are out there - not just run around

yelling nonsense from one side or the other - cause even what we though

is benign isn't necessarily without its major flaws, and we know about

plenty of stuff currently in widespread use that isn't benign, and doing

nothing isn't benign either .. so ...

 

*Smile*

Chris (list mom)

 

http://www.alittleolfactory.com

 

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http://start.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20050321/423e54d0_3ca6_15526

20050321-160596865

 

Experts Discuss Nuclear Power As Energy

March 21, 2005 8:16 PM EST

 

PARIS - Only by building more nuclear power stations can the world meet

its soaring energy needs while averting environmental disaster, experts

at an international conference said Monday.

 

Energy ministers and officials from 74 countries were in Paris for the

two-day meeting on the future of nuclear energy, as concerns about

global warming and fossil fuel supplies renew governments' interest in

atomic power.

 

" It's clear that nuclear energy is regaining stature as a serious

option, " said Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy

Agency - the U.N. nuclear watchdog - which organized the conference.

 

ElBaradei said the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol, which commits

governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was focusing minds.

 

Power plants fired by oil, coal and gas are major sources of carbon

dioxide and other gases that cause global warming. The Kyoto accord will

force plant operators to pay for their pollution, making nuclear power

facilities more competitive by comparison.

 

" In the past, the virtual absence of restrictions or taxes on greenhouse

gas emissions has meant that nuclear power's advantage, low emissions,

has had no tangible economic value, " ElBaradei said. But the Kyoto

Protocol " will likely change that over the longer term. "

 

Soaring fossil fuel costs, including the historic highs charted by oil

prices during the past year, are a more immediate worry for governments

- and a reminder of the petroleum shocks of the 1970s that persuaded

countries, including France, to intensify nuclear production.

 

But accidents at the Three Mile Island facility in Pennsylvania in 1979

and at Chernobyl, Ukraine, seven years later undermined public

confidence in nuclear power.

 

Although there is still deep public concern about the risk of accidents

and transportation and storage of radioactive waste, nuclear advocates

say there also is a new awareness that relying on fossil fuels could

lead to an even greater environmental catastrophe.

 

" The climate will probably change no matter what we now do, but we

should, at the very least, make every effort to slow it down, " Donald

Johnston, secretary general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation

and Development, said in a video statement. " We ignore its importance at

our peril. "

 

Environmental groups, however, insist that nuclear power is not the

solution to the climate problem.

 

" Today, nuclear energy accounts for 17 percent of electricity

consumption and 3 percent of energy consumption, " said Helene Gassin,

who heads Greenpeace's energy campaign in France. The climate problem

" goes far beyond the electricity issue. "

 

When Finland begins construction of a new reactor later this year, it

will become the first Western European country to do so since 1991.

France plans to start building a new-generation reactor in 2007.

 

Nuclear plants produce one-third of Europe's electricity, saving

greenhouse emissions " equivalent to those of all of Europe's cars, "

French Industry Minister Patrick Devedjian said.

 

In a message to the conference, U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman cited a

University of Chicago study that showed nuclear power " can become

competitive with electricity produced by plants fueled by coal or gas "

because of new technologies delivering more efficient reactors.

 

Echoing recent comments by President Bush, Bodman said: " America hasn't

ordered a new nuclear power plant since the 1970s and it's time to start

building again. "

 

Even in some countries that have been fiercely opposed to nuclear power,

the mood is shifting. For example, Italians voted against the use of

atomic energy in a referendum the year after Chernobyl, and the

government began gradually decommissioning plants.

 

" Regarding nuclear power, we perceive a clear change in public opinion,

notably by the young generations, " Italian Industry Minister Antonio

Marzano said.

 

The real boom in nuclear power is expected to focus on developing

countries, particularly in Asia.

 

China is expected to increase its nuclear production capacity from the

current 6.5 gigawatts to 36 gigawatts by 2020, according to IAEA

figures, while India plans to multiply its production capacity tenfold

and Russia is expected to double its capacity to about 45 gigawatts.

 

A gigawatt equals 1 billion watts.

 

U.S. nuclear plant builder Westinghouse Electric Co. is among contenders

for an $8 billion contract for four new Chinese reactors to be awarded

by year's end.