Is Nuclear Power Cheap?

Is nuclear energy is cheap and clean?

At least the nuclear technocrats try their heart out to lead us to believe this. But it is a very contious issue.

Nuclear mandarins ofthe world would make us believe that nuclear power is cheaper let alone it being cool and clean. Is that so? In reality how cost-effective is it? Various agencies conducted studies at different levesl and their reports categorically say it otherwise. As per the western statistics and norms, nuclear power is costlier than the power generated by coal-fired plant known as thermal power particularly within a spread 100-km radius of the actual pithead.

According to some sources available in India, considering case of a 200 MW heavy reactor "...the cost of power generation by coal-fired plant located at the pithead would vary from 14.91 paise (IRS) to 18.84 paise (IRS) at 1977-78 for capacity factor varying from 60 to 80 per cent" whereas "comparable figures for the nuclear plant located with recycling of spent fuel ranged between 17.52 paise (IRS) and 22.08 (IRS) paise”. So, this source speaks volumes against the cost-benefit factor of nuclear energy exclusive of the human factor and the ecological cost as well.

So which is cheaper and which is dearer? In spite of all this, the power-brokers are obsessed with nuclear power hell-bent on developing some more nuclear power generating plants against the existing ones creating problems of nuclear garbage without taking any cognizance of the human life and property.

Technorati Tags:

Vote Result

Score: 0.0, Votes: 0