Nuclear Renaissance - World

August 2007
Nuclear energy is being billed as the solution to the world's energy crisis. But how viable a solution is it? We compare different countries' experiences and hear what the experts think. With 80% of its energy coming from nuclear generators, France is leading the world in nuclear power. "It is an industry that is safe and reliable", boasts scientist Jacques Debarrier. Finland too is turning to nuclear to meet its global warming commitments. Five years ago, it commissioned the building of a new reactor. It has detailed plans to safely dispose of nuclear waste and already runs four of the world's most trouble-free nuclear generators. But this new project is now 19 months behind schedule and a billion euros over budget. "Nuclear technology is very complex, expensive technology", explains nuclear advisor David Martin. Canada's nuclear reactors have also been plagued by constant faults and delays. Originally budgeted at $3.5 billion, costs soared to more than $14 billion. Scientist Frank Greening traced radioactive dust from the reactor to; "people's offices and homes". While billions has been poured into nuclear power, renewable technologies have received only a fraction of the investment needed. "If we invest in nuclear, we won't invest in the real solutions",

Produced by SBS/Dateline
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

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News & Politics

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[DanaMedic77]

Unfortunately, solar and wind, in their current iterations, produce extremely small amounts of energy.

[yushis1]

I realize this piece was intended to focus on nuclear power, but there are some jabs taken that could be equally applied to the panacea of alternatives you present at the end. For instance, one of your experts criticizes nuclear power for "only" having a 200-year supply of fuel. Ridiculous. 200 years is an amount nearly unheard of in natural resources. Contrast this with our known reserves of aluminum for wind turbines, or rare metals needed for solar panels (Cadmium, Gallium, etc.). Much less.

[MrAmericanzombie]

@tictactoechicken123 It's kinda hard to take tictactoechicken as a screen name seriously in any subject!! I'm not letting you lead up the team of designing the new reactor just because of that RIDICULOUS NAME! You put NO thought into it,and now you're getting ridiculed for it!! I want you to sit back for awhile,and consider why you would do such a MORONIC thing,ok?? TICTACTOECHICKEN?? Please don't be an AMERICAN! We have enough TICTACTOECHICKENS RUNNIN THE STREETS!!

[MrAmericanzombie]

Dude you really need to study further, before you propagate your nonsense!! You really need to expand, before you make your final hypothesis on the subject!! It's stupid statements like that, that keep us stuck in the time of GODS!

[LoveForChinaForava]

support nuclear power!!!!! we can use it till we can get fusion power.

[neutralbalance]

The Sound is fucked up

[thekingofassholes]

@DanaMedic77 Yeah yeah, and now tell us who you are working for. This is proven wrong for quite a long time

[RealBulldust]

Ol 3 reactor is promised to be ready 2013...or later...or never if we are lucky. Finnish nuclear waste disposal solution is just a political decision to justify building new reactors...many problems have been disregarded