Good post, Richard...thanks. Just a few additional comments, on the nukes. California has taken a head-in-the-sand, rather than a positive attitude toward power supply. The mistake made out here is confusing imagination with reality. Imagining that solar energy will make up the difference has proven wrong. In the meantime, the economic well being of everyone is threatened.
However, small nukes below the size that are vulnerable to thermal runaway problems, (I think the power level is around 400 MWe ), while not quite so economical as the monsters, can be built reliably and probably quickly, once the production facilities are in place.
The good thing that may come out of what Bush is proposing.. could lead Uncle Sam to pick up his dropped commitment on fuel recycling. This is the big impediment as I see it. Fed's reneged yrs ago.. and left the power industry stranded.
If controlled Fusion lights up, with significant benefits, we won't need our arms twisted to install it wherever. Personally I like the idea of little, few kW size units..for each home... but I am not under any illusions about this being either safe or practical.. but who knows what's ahead?
Dave Cooper
Created on Saturday, May 19, 2001 5 PM EDT by David Cooper