China has plugged in its first domestically-built nuclear reactor with hopes to become more energy-independent and to export its design across the globe.
There's an environmental case for nuclear in that the power plants have a very small footprint compared to big solar or wind installations, so you don't have to displace native wildlife etc. Spent fuel isn't as big a problem as people think, and it can be reprocessed like they do in France but the proposed reprocessing facility got killed in the USA because of NIMBYism. Nuclear plants (at least pressurized-water reactors) are built like bunkers and can withstand a lot, and they take security very seriously. At least that's what this TED talk claims
If we already had Full Communism and money wasn't a thing I could see nuclear power being more viable. It also might be cheaper than renewables with battery storage, but I don't know the numbers on that. Smaller reactors that can be throttled up and down more easily might replace natural gas power plants to fill in during high demand. Or if we had Full Communism we could just stop working when the power goes out.
There's an environmental case for nuclear in that the power plants have a very small footprint compared to big solar or wind installations, so you don't have to displace native wildlife etc. Spent fuel isn't as big a problem as people think, and it can be reprocessed like they do in France but the proposed reprocessing facility got killed in the USA because of NIMBYism. Nuclear plants (at least pressurized-water reactors) are built like bunkers and can withstand a lot, and they take security very seriously. At least that's what this TED talk claims
If we already had Full Communism and money wasn't a thing I could see nuclear power being more viable. It also might be cheaper than renewables with battery storage, but I don't know the numbers on that. Smaller reactors that can be throttled up and down more easily might replace natural gas power plants to fill in during high demand. Or if we had Full Communism we could just stop working when the power goes out.