PSR analysis of the huge new nuclear subsidies—including unlimited taxpayer loan guarantees for new reactors–in the “Gang of 10” energy bill, due for a Senate vote in mid-September. And you thought the Gang of 10 bill was only about offshore oil drilling……Stay tuned here for more info.
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The Brave New World of Nuclear Power Economics, an article by NIRS executive director Michael Mariotte
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The Department of Energy has issued a solicitation for applications for its loan guarantee program authorized by Congress in late 2007. This solicitation is for $30.5 billion in taxpayer-backed loan guarantees, and includes $18.5 billion for new atomic reactors, $2 billion for front-end nuclear fuel cycle facilities (uranium enrichment plant), and $10 billion for renewable energy, energy efficiency and transmission projects. You can read the reactor solicitation here; the fuel cycle solicitation here; and the renewables/efficiency/transmission solicitation here.
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Nuclear Power Plant Electricity: A Simple Costing Manual. This is a basic primer from energy consultant Philip D. Lusk that shows how to calculate the kilowatt/hour cost of electricity from a new nuclear reactor. Under the model’s fairly universal assumptions, the cost of electricity from a standard new reactor will be about 19.75 cents per kw/h. Most renewable and efficiency projects would be well below this number, and on an economic basis alone should be implemented first.
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14 top energy company beneficiaries of nuclear loan guarantees spent $48 million on lobbying. Co-Op America news release.
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