Kilowatt Ours Interviews
David Lochbaum -Director of Nuclear Safety Project, Union of Concerned Scientists
David Lochbaum, Director of Nuclear Safety Project, Union of Concerned Scientists is the writer of reports including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Report on Safety in America's Nuclear Power Industry, Three Mile Island's Puzzling Legacy, and the book Nuclear Waste Disposal Crisis.
David Lochbaum- Part One
Chapter Three
- UCS feels that scientists should continue to work on issues where science can continue to move our society forward.
- There are several reasons why nuclear power is not a good answer for solving global warming. We can't wait that long.
- Nuclear is the most expensive when you consider all the costs.
- Nuclear can have major catastrophic accidents or attractive targets.
David Lochbaum - Part Two
Chapter Three
- The typical nuclear power plant produce 10 to 20 tons of nuclear waste per year.
- Even if Yucca Mountain were opened tomorrow it would take decades to move that waste to this site.
- A prudent country would license a waste facility next prior to licensing new nuclear plants. We are apparently content to not learn from previous mistakes.
David Lochbaum - Part Three
Chapter Three
- If nuclear was to play a major role in overcoming global warming there is a significant number of plants required which about three times the total we have built so far world wide.
- Frances nuclear program is basically the same as the US reactors. France has a higher approach to safety, which costs more.
- The accumulation of spent fuel has outpaced what we anticipated they would need. Owners have turned to dry storage on site waiting for a repository. Spent fuel sites are very vulnerable to terrorists.
Relevant Links:
- Nuclear News: Article by David Lochbaum
