The Economist has an interesting article on French nuclear energy. You read about it here first. Be sure to check out the comments if you click the link.
I have a terrible feeling that the emerging potential depression has changed the economics of nuclear power, such as they were. First, the cost of traditional energy sources has plunged along with the overall demand for energy. (I don't think today's low prices will outlast the downturn, but the fact remains.) Second, the credit markets are pretty messed up at the moment. How would you finance a project based on the idea that energy prices will rise in the long term? In the long term, everyone is bankrupt. Third, nuclear power plants as they are currently designed seem to be pretty bad as a Keynesian fiscal demand boost. The lead times are far too long; it'd be years before a project leads to a dime of actual purchases. That means that governments will be ill-advised to include subsidies to nuclear power in the capital projects that they are going to undertake over the next few years.
Still the energy of the future. Perhaps the article's relative optimism will prove justified. I hope so, but it isn't how I'd bet.
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