Gordian Knot News

Gordian Knot News explores solutions and challenges in the nuclear power sector, focusing on the economics, regulatory impacts, and safety paradigms of nuclear energy. It critiques current regulatory practices, proposes reforms, and discusses the broader implications of nuclear power on global warming, energy policy, and societal costs.

Nuclear Power Economics Regulatory Systems and Reforms Safety and Risk Management in Nuclear Energy Nuclear Power and Environmental Policy Historical Perspectives on Nuclear Energy Radiation Health Effects Energy Policy and Global Warming

The hottest Substack posts of Gordian Knot News

And their main takeaways

The case for 1 mSv per day

212 implied HN points • 16 Jul 23
🔬 Science Radiation Biology Nuclear power Health Risks
  1. The recommended radiation exposure limit for the general public was 2 mSv/day until 1951, when it was changed to 3 mSv/week.
  2. A dose of 2 mSv/day is considered safe as it is based on biological repair mechanisms that can handle DNA damage from radiation and natural processes.
  3. Maintaining a limit of 2 mSv/day could prevent unnecessary evacuations and help make nuclear power a more economical and environmentally friendly energy source.

Is Devanney an anti-nuke mole?

109 implied HN points • 07 Oct 23
🔬 Science Radiation Uncertainty
  1. There's a controversy about the safe amount of radiation exposure.
  2. Different types of radiation have varying effects on the body.
  3. The debate hinges on expertise: DNA repair specialists versus other professionals.

The Rise and Fall Of Yankee Rowe

249 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation Safety concerns Energy Production
  1. In 1954, the Atomic Energy Act allowed private companies into nuclear power, leading to the creation of Yankee Atomic Electric Company in New England.
  2. Yankee Rowe operated for 40 years efficiently, but faced closure due to safety concerns and regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  3. The rise and fall of Yankee Rowe showcases both the potential and challenges of nuclear power in the United States.
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A Tale of Two Ships

241 implied HN points • 05 May 23
💼 Business Regulation Quality control
  1. Regulatory inefficiency can drastically increase costs, sometimes by a factor of 30.
  2. Nuclear power regulation, a refined form of Navy regulation, can also lead to similar cost issues.
  3. The difference between the ideal cost and the actual cost can vary greatly due to market conditions and standards.

ALARA

241 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🔬 Science Energy Regulation Costs Bureaucracy
  1. ALARA philosophy in nuclear regulation aims for minimal radioactive emissions.
  2. ALARA can lead to increased costs and hinder technological advancements in nuclear power.
  3. ALARA's focus on reducing radiation exposure may lead to excessive regulation and operational costs.

Can the NRC be Reborn?

219 implied HN points • 20 May 23
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation Safety Competition Testing
  1. Reforming the NRC for nuclear power to succeed requires honesty and transparency in communication.
  2. A reformed NRC must establish a compensation scheme for harm caused by radioactive material exposure.
  3. The NRC's focus should shift to emission enforcement rather than reactor design to ensure safety and accountability.

Stage 2: Nuclear Power's Economics Suck

219 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
💼 Business Energy Economics Regulations Costs Market
  1. Nuclear power in the West is incredibly expensive and time-consuming to build, hindering its potential to combat global issues like climate change.
  2. Historically, nuclear power has been cost-competitive with coal, but rising costs due to regulations and construction delays have made it less viable.
  3. The core issue with nuclear power's economics lies in the perception of any radioactive release as intolerable, leading to excessive safety measures that drive up costs.

What is nuclear's should-cost?

212 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🔬 Science Nuclear Energy Regulation Cost Analysis Risk Assessment
  1. Nuclear power can be more cost-effective than traditional sources like coal plants.
  2. Naive LCOE may not accurately represent the true cost of nuclear energy due to fluctuations in demand and the need for backup.
  3. Key challenges for nuclear power include regulatory risk, construction risk, and ensuring liability for unplanned outages and radiation releases.

A Plan that Adds Up

219 implied HN points • 08 Feb 23
  1. Reacting to global warming needs a well-balanced strategy considering the costs of replacing fossil fuels.
  2. Finding a low CO2, cheaper than coal source of electricity is crucial for decarbonization.
  3. Regulating nuclear power intelligently and implementing a competitive system could lead to significant reductions in GHG emissions.

Gordian Knot News: Table of Contents

95 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
📰 News Media
  1. Gordian Knot News has a variety of posts, with differing levels of importance and readability.
  2. The author prepared Table 1 to group posts by subject and grade them for importance, readability, and relevance.
  3. The Table 1 system uses grades like A, B, C, and D to indicate the recommended level of readership for each post.

Nuclear power is too slow

201 HN points • 06 Dec 22
  1. Nuclear power has faced slow development, especially in the US and Europe post-1966.
  2. Regulations and industry structure can significantly affect the speed of nuclear power construction.
  3. Countries like Japan have shown that nuclear power can be built quickly with efficient competition and regulatory stability.

Nuclear power cannot load follow

146 implied HN points • 07 Dec 22
  1. Nuclear reactors can load follow, contrary to popular belief.
  2. The challenge for nuclear power in load following is more economic than technical.
  3. An all nuclear grid is not optimal due to high costs and inefficiencies in covering peak demands.

Gordian Knot News going live

80 implied HN points • 02 Dec 22
  1. Gordian Knot News focuses on solving energy poverty and global warming issues.
  2. The posts will be shorter and less technical than the ones on gordianknotbook.com.
  3. Subscribers to the gordianknotbook.com email list have been moved to Gordian Knot News.

Big Oil and Nuclear Power

73 implied HN points • 08 Dec 22
  1. Coal and nuclear power have historically been in direct competition, with coal interests fighting against nuclear power.
  2. Oil companies initially embraced nuclear power's promise, making significant investments, partnerships, and developments in the nuclear industry.
  3. Big oil companies, such as Exxon and Shell, were heavily involved in the nuclear power industry, investing in fuel fabrication plants, uranium reserves, and various nuclear-related projects.

Expensive nuclear is nowhere good enough.

58 implied HN points • 27 Nov 22
  1. Wind and solar are not enough to support a decarbonized planet.
  2. Nuclear power needs to be cheaper to be a viable option for electricity.
  3. Lower cost nuclear energy is crucial for producing clean alternatives to fossil fuels.

Nuclear waste: a tale of two particles

14 implied HN points • 05 Dec 22
  1. The nuclear establishment needs to do a better job educating the public about different types of radiation and how they impact handling nuclear waste.
  2. The public may not fully understand the differences between penetrating and non-penetrating radiation.
  3. It is important to address misconceptions surrounding nuclear waste to ensure safe handling and disposal.

Coming soon

0 implied HN points • 21 Sep 22
  1. The newsletter focuses on solutions to energy poverty and global warming.
  2. Jack Devanney is the author of the newsletter.
  3. The newsletter is coming soon and can be found on jackdevanney.substack.com.