A New Generation of Nuclear Reactors Could Hold the Key to a Green Future

  • 📰 TIME
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 46 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 22%
  • Publisher: 53%

United Kingdom Headlines News

United Kingdom Latest News,United Kingdom Headlines

Can a stable, safe, known source of energy rise to the occasion, or will nuclear be cast aside as too expensive, too risky and too late?

, founded by Bill Gates in 2006, has plans for a novel technology that uses its heat for energy storage, rather than to spin a turbine, which makes it an even more flexible option for electric grids that increasingly need that pliability. And, a Maryland-based firm that has received substantial funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, is developing 80-megawatt reactors that can also be grouped into “four-packs,” bringing them closer in size to today’s plants.

But all that was easier said than done. Westinghouse and its contractors struggled to manufacture the components according to nuclear’s mega-exacting requirements and in the end, only one AP1000 project in the U.S. actually happened: the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia. Approved in 2012, its two reactors were expected at the time to cost $14 billion and be completed in 2016 and 2017, but costs have ballooned to $25 billion.

As the epitome of critical infrastructure, this station has been buffeted by the crises the U.S. has suffered in the past few decades. After 9/11, the three reactors here absorbed nearly $100 million in security upgrades. Everyone entering the plant passes through metal- and explosives detectors, and radiation detectors on the way out. Walking between the buildings entails crossing a concrete expanse beneath high bullet resistant enclosures .

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Thorium would be a better alternative

Definitely something to look into!

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 93. in UK

United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

UK’s new Brexit negotiator said leaving EU would spell economic disasterForeign secretary campaigned for Remain while serving in ex-PM David Cameron’s government
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »

Viewers think Louis CK’s new comedy special is proof that ‘cancel culture isn’t real’‘Devastated to hear that disgraceful cancel culture has once again forced Louis CK to release a new stand up special,’ joked one person He has to produce and host the special on his own website. I think he’s pretty reasonably cancelled. If Gary glitter released a new album and the only place you could listen to it was on his own website, that wouldn’t mean cancel culture was a myth. Can we just stop liking someone famous for good reason without them complaining about being cancelled ?
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »

US ‘closer to civil war’ than most would like to believe, new book saysAcademic and member of CIA advisory panel says analysis applied to other countries shows US has ‘entered very dangerous territory’ Anyone imagining it's only the US closer to civil war has their head stuck up their arse. National and international tensions have been ratcheting up for years, especially since 2008. There are several independent drivers acting in concert. All promoted by neoliberalism.
Source: The Guardian - 🏆 84. / 53 Read more »

Biden to announce new Covid measures as Omicron variant spikesPresident Joe Biden received backlash for deciding to wait until Tuesday to announce new Covid measures to fight the Omicron variant as some called out his apparent lack of urgency. Alec Baldwin has killed the same amount of people as omicron, but there’s no booster for Alec’s stupidity GiletsJaunes Covid Europe1 LCI franceinfo AJENews RFI CNEWS cnni SkyNews AFP BBCBreaking dwnews FRANCE24 UniNoticias TelemundoNews GJaunes laveritepradama FranceInsoumise NPA_officiel Paris_luttes GiletsJaunesGo dw_espanol UnivOuverte ColereEcoles CCTV
Source: Daily Mail Online - 🏆 135. / 51 Read more »

Land Rover Defender finally drives electric with new plug-in hybridTwo years after the new Land Rover Defender finally launched, the brand\u00a0has taken the wraps off the Land Rover Defender Hybrid, the first plug-in electric model in the vehicle\u2019s history. The road to the renewed Defender was unexpectedly bumpy, as we explained in our review of the 2019 model.\u00a0At...
Source: wallpapermag - 🏆 36. / 67 Read more »

Omicron symptoms: What to look out for from new Covid variantOmicron symptoms: Everything to know about Covid variant
Source: The Independent - 🏆 80. / 59 Read more »