21 Comments

Keep writing,Jack! I will be assigning your stack to the students in my course https://jick.net/nukes/ next November.

Expand full comment

I’d imagine that there are very similar to ALARA problems, & identified too which few bureaucrats and non bureaucrats alike have spoken of or even blown whistles over~ as to suggest measures are over conservative, overreaching, even counter productive to the point of total paralysis to an industry m, and in this case - nuclear power

ALARA ties in with the ‘LNT’ hypothesis, a model which wags the dog so to speak.

Radio-phobic organization and institutions can unknowingly become so entrenched with red tape and unnecessary guidelines, with ever more regulations and laws than scientifically necessary that it strangles itself to a slow death!

Expand full comment

Excellent !!

I have cited this article in our Citizendium article on Cost of Nuclear Power.

https://citizendium.org/wiki/Cost_of_nuclear_power

and also on the Debate Guide page for that article, in response to Amory Lovins' statements that nuclear is too expensive.

Expand full comment

Another excellent piece!

Which organizations are working on Congress to change this nonsense?

Expand full comment

Outstanding but depressing as all get out. Thanks, especially for making the point about the poor and the environment.

Expand full comment

The government obviously has the legal right and power to make these decisions, but I would like you to consider by what moral right should they have this power. If they can decide this for us, what is to stop them from coming into my home and forcibly taking away my Quarter Pounder with Cheese on the premise that I am harming myself. The answer to this is nothing. Based on our current 'principles' of government there is nothing to prevent this. They just haven't tried to go that far. There is probably a whole lot more reasons to outlaw hamburgers than to essentially outlaw nuclear power. I say a proper government should not have the ability to do either. It's only function should be to protect our rights, adjudicate disputes and punish those who do infringe on our rights.

Expand full comment

It would be very helpful if someone put together a compendium of examples of NRC idiocy and regulatory insanity like the Toomer's creek example mentioned. With a form for submissions from the public.

And a comparison of regulatory differences between different countries, in order to spot the Outliers, which will likely be mostly the NRC. I've read other countries don't have all the armed guards at Nuclear facilities unlike in the USA. Unusual number of terrorists in America?

Expand full comment

“The real losers here are the poor and the planet.”

Indeed. That’s what drives us nuts.

Expand full comment

Someone should ask the the NRC, if they think a tiny bit of radiation is so dangerous and requires such draconian efforts to eliminate, then why are their owners so intent on starting a nuclear war with Russia and exposing Ukrainian nuclear reactors to military weapons and personnel & electricity blackouts. Ya think a nuclear war might release a little bit of radiation maybe? Maybe there might ACTUALLY be some deaths due to radiation unlike for their ALARA. Lots of deaths. Millions of deaths. Idiots.

Expand full comment

This is frustrating as it is keeping the nuclear electricity price at highwatermark forever. On the other hand, isn't this a US regulation? Why do the majority of the rest of the western world follow suit? Canada? Germany? Seems like it's only somewhat Korea and maybe France from the democratic world who's trying to operate nuclear power in a reasonable way.

Expand full comment

Regulatory duties and licensing duties should be carried out by separate entities.

There is no ‘up side’ for a regulator if a plant works, but a definite ’down-side’ if something goes wrong.

Hence, a bureaucratic will always chose to save their ‘gravy-train’ and gold-plated pension, rather than move the world in a positive direction by enabling progress.

Expand full comment

I've learned more relevant information on nuclear power here than anywhere else. Your content is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of nuclear energy.

Expand full comment

Hi Jack

How can I email you? This is powerful info. I want to help.

Expand full comment