Biden launches $6 billion dollar plan to save at risk nuclear plants

[Finishline42]

The Biden administration is launching a $6bn effort to rescue nuclear power plants at risk of closing, citing the need to continue nuclear energy as a carbon-free source of power that helps to combat climate change.

On Tuesday, a certification and bidding process opened for a civil nuclear credit program that is intended to bail out financially distressed owners or operators of nuclear power reactors, the US energy department told the Associated Press exclusively, shortly before the official announcement. It’s the largest federal investment in saving financially distressed nuclear reactors.

Owners or operators of nuclear power reactors that are expected to shut down for economic reasons can apply for funding to avoid closing prematurely. The first round of awards will prioritize reactors that have already announced plans to close.

The second round will be opened up to more economically at-risk facilities. The program was funded through Joe Biden’s $1tn infrastructure deal, which he signed into law in November.

“US nuclear power plants contribute more than half of our carbon-free electricity, and President Biden is committed to keeping these plants active to reach our clean energy goals,” energy secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

“We’re using every tool available to get this country powered by clean energy by 2035, and that includes prioritizing our existing nuclear fleet to allow for continued emissions-free electricity generation and economic stability for the communities leading this important work.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/19/biden-effort-nuclear-plants-energy-climate-crisis?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[GoldandSilver]

1. NO, JOE.....

Nuclear energy may be an easy reach but they need to stop calling it “clean energy”. It results in the deadliest of environmental trash that we could imagine.

From the very beginning, concerns about the nuclear waste was ignored. “Oh the growth in technology will take care of it”….all these years later and there is still no solution to the problem.

I don’t want the forever deadly trash buried in my backyard, do you?

No real solution for nuclear waste equals no nuclear plants in my book. Damn idiots want to turn the US into an American Chernobyl or Fukushima by stashing the trash….the trash will forever haunt and threaten us.

No, Joe. Bad move on nuclear plants. Spend that money on renewables and battery storage, not on forever deadly trash.

[hunter]

3. Renewables and battery storage is "forever deadly trash" as well.

As the human population approaches eight billion souls our options have become severely limited. We have to decide which options are the least deadly.

Fossil fuels are the worst.

I oppose large scale wind, solar, and hydroelectric schemes on previously undeveloped land. Solar and wind power are entirely dependent on fossil fuels for their economic viability.

The only thing that Chernobyl proved was that humans going about their ordinary lives are worse for the natural environment than the worst possible nuclear accident.

The only thing Fukushima proved was that it's bad when a tsunami hits a mid twentieth century design nuclear power plant. That tsunami was at least a hundred thousand times worse for the people directly suffering the tsunami impacts than the nuclear spill, most especially the friends and loved ones of the 20,000 who died.

[hunter]

2. I welcome you to the LBN thread.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142905907

I'm queen of all I survey this day.