The Answer to Climate Change Is Renewable Energy, Not Nuclear Power

[caraher]

8. Do you trust the World Nuclear Association on design life?

Clearly anti-nuke propagandists have hacked the World Nuclear Organization's web site, which agrees with rhett's statement that the design life of most reactors is 40 years:

Lifetime of nuclear reactors

Most of today's nuclear plants which (sic) were originally designed for 30 or 40-year operating lives. However, with major investments in systems, structures and components lives can be extended, and in several countries there are active programs to extend operating lives. In the USA most of the more than one hundred reactors are expected to be granted licence extensions from 40 to 60 years. This justifies significant capital expenditure in upgrading systems and components, including building in extra performance margins.

It's one thing to argue that reactors can be safely upgraded; it's another to create out of thin air a distinction between design lifetime and license term that not even a leading organization of nuclear professionals chooses to make.