Expensive nuclear is nowhere good enough.

Everything is breaking in nuclear power's favor. The reality that wind and solar cannot come close to supporting a decarbonized planet is just beginning to set in. With coal at over $400 per ton, Henry Hub gas at $8/mmbtu, and European gas at god knows where, even atrociously expensive nuclear looks like a bargain. The Finns are bragging about a plant that cost over $9000/kW and took 15 years to build. Hell, even Vogtle 3/4 might look economic if things continue to deteriorate.

One of the many tragedies of this mess is that fossil fuel prices have temporarily outpaced ALARA, which will convince the establishment that ALARA and all its implications are acceptable. The Gold Standard works.All we need is more taxpayer money and everything will be fine.

This is a repeat of 1970's boom, which took nuclear's real cost from less than 3 cents/kWh to multiples of that price. When fossil fuel prices crater, nuclear will be worse off than ever, and humanity will be screwed.

We must have truly cheap nuclear, like the nuclear we had in the late 1960's.

If and only if we have nuclear that is cheaper than fossil fuel's long run cost,will we have a low carbon, dispatchable source of electricity that the developing world can afford.

If and only if we have such low CO2, dispatchable electricity at less than 3 cents per kWh, do we have a shot at producing hydrogen at $1.50/kg. Then we can make ammonia for fertilizer without methane,and possibly convert primary steel making away from coal and coke.

If and only if we have hydrogen at this price, we may be able to produce synthetic liquid fuels, at a cost that is close enough to petroleumthat a tolerable carbon tax will make them competitive.

Expensive nuclear is no where good enough.