The hottest Nuclear power Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top World Politics Topics

Reading List 1/25/25

Construction Physics • 15032 implied HN points • 25 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Executive orders Infrastructure Energy Policy Nuclear power Data Centers
  1. Trump's executive orders are focusing heavily on deregulating energy projects, especially fossil fuels, which could speed up development but also pause other renewable projects like solar and wind.
  2. There is a renewed interest in restarting nuclear plants due to rising electricity demand, with several plants now being considered for revival in the U.S.
  3. Data centers are consuming more electricity now than ever, projected to account for a significant portion of U.S. electricity usage in the coming years.

The Two Lies that killed Nuclear Power 2.0

Gordian Knot News • 300 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🔬 Science Nuclear power Radiation Energy Policy Environmental Impact Public Health
  1. Nuclear power has been hurt by two major misconceptions: that major accidents are unlikely and any release of radiation would be disastrous. Both ideas oversimplify complex realities.
  2. The belief that all radiation exposure is harmful has led to expensive safety measures in nuclear plants, making them less competitive against cheaper energy sources like oil and coal.
  3. Evidence shows that our bodies can repair some damage from radiation and that low-level exposure doesn't necessarily lead to serious health issues, challenging common fears about nuclear safety.

The Illusory Learning Curve

Gordian Knot News • 241 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Nuclear power Engineering Regulation Productivity Manufacturing
  1. There is not much of a learning curve when building ships or power plants. Each project is unique, so little efficiency is gained from past projects.
  2. Regulation plays a big role in increasing costs for nuclear power plants, making them expensive to build. Regulations can limit the benefits of any learning curve.
  3. Despite claims of future savings, history shows that costs for nuclear plants often do not decrease significantly with experience. The actual savings are minimal.

The key takeaway from MIT’s Great Climate Policy Debate

Heterodox STEM • 163 implied HN points • 22 Dec 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Policy Debate Nuclear power Sustainability Energy
  1. All four experts agreed that stopping nuclear energy development after the Three Mile Island accident was a big mistake. If nuclear power had been embraced earlier, we might have made better progress on reducing carbon emissions.
  2. There's a strong belief that we can still fully commit to nuclear energy now because the technology is safe and effective. The main barriers are complex regulations and legal challenges that make it hard to move forward.
  3. The panel recognized that achieving NetZero carbon emissions soon will be very difficult. It might be time for people with differing views on climate to collaborate and focus on making nuclear energy more widely used.
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☢️ Germany’s lost nuclear decade: A Quick Q&A with … energy researcher Jan Emblemsvåg

Faster, Please! • 365 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Energy Policy Nuclear power Renewable Energy Environmental Impact Policy decisions
  1. Germany's decision to move away from nuclear power has resulted in significant financial losses and missed opportunities for cleaner energy. They could have saved a lot of money while maintaining their energy production.
  2. Public fear from past nuclear disasters, like Chernobyl and Fukushima, greatly influenced Germany's reluctance to rely on nuclear energy. This created strong political pressure against it over the years.
  3. Recently, there are signs that Germany might reconsider its stance on nuclear power due to rising energy costs and the diminishing influence of anti-nuclear political parties. Changes could happen in future elections.

Low Hanging Fruit

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1511 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Emissions Renewable Energy Policy Cost Analysis Nuclear power
  1. Replacing 150 coal power plants with nuclear power can reduce global emissions by 25% by 2035.
  2. The cost of replacing these plants with nuclear power is significantly lower than other emissions reduction measures.
  3. If the world is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, retiring or retrofitting coal plants is necessary, and nuclear power provides a feasible alternative.

What about the cost?

Everything is Light • 668 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Clean Energy Policy Costs Renewables Nuclear power
  1. Comparing the costs of different energy sources is more complex than just looking at the upfront costs of individual components.
  2. The Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) metric is not sufficient for assessing cost-effectiveness because it overlooks various factors like system costs and reliability.
  3. It's essential to consider the true costs of energy sources, including factors like backup power needs, disposal costs, and environmental impacts, to make informed and effective energy policy decisions.

450: Apple's iPhone Pricing, Hyperscalers, Google, Capital-Light Businesses, Rory Sutherland, Norway, Spotify AI, and Hitchcock

Liberty’s Highlights • 491 implied HN points • 27 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Apple AI Cloud Computing 3D Printing Nuclear power
  1. Adjusted for inflation, the iPhone 15 is the most affordable since the original in 2007.
  2. The White House may require cloud companies to disclose AI customers for security
  3. Google paid Apple a massive estimated $120 billion since 2010 to be the default search on iOS.

446: ICE + Black Knight + Constellation, Meta, ARM IPO, Starlink & Cloudflare, Toyota, Novo Nordisk, Exoplanets, and Flipside

Liberty’s Highlights • 432 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
💼 Business Acquisitions Technology Film Nuclear power Astronomy
  1. Vacations are a skill that take practice to unwind and recharge.
  2. Meeting online friends in person can enhance relationships and bring new perspectives.
  3. Partnerships between companies like Cloudflare and Starlink aim to improve services for customers.

How China solves the renewable intermittency issue

TP’s Substack • 35 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Renewable Energy Energy Storage Nuclear power Sustainability
  1. China is investing heavily in renewable energy sources like solar and wind, which have been growing rapidly. These types of energy are faster and cheaper to set up compared to nuclear power.
  2. To tackle the issue of renewable energy not being available at all times, China is using advanced battery storage systems and smart grids. These technologies help store energy when production is high and release it when demand peaks.
  3. Electric vehicles (EVs) in cities like Shenzhen are being used to help manage energy supply. During busy times, these EVs can return power to the grid, making the entire energy system more resilient.

Nuclear Power not only should be cheap; it was cheap: 3 cents/kWh cheap.

Gordian Knot News • 307 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation Economics
  1. In the 1960s, nuclear power was as cheap as coal, at about 3.2 cents per kWh in 2024 dollars.
  2. Nuclear power plants require significantly less material and labor compared to coal plants, making them potentially cheaper to build and operate.
  3. High regulatory costs, escalating material and labor expenses, and a misdirected regulatory system have contributed to making nuclear power more expensive than it should be.

LNT is prudent.

Gordian Knot News • 205 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🔬 Science Radiation Regulation Risk Assessment Public Health Nuclear power
  1. Pursuing safety in a cost-effective way is crucial to prevent harm and save lives.
  2. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) model, while used for regulatory purposes, can come with enormous costs to humanity due to its over-conservatism.
  3. Focusing solely on minimizing radiation exposure without considering other costs may lead to unnecessary harm and consequences, such as deadly evacuations and ruined lives.

Four Simple Questions

Gordian Knot News • 183 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation
  1. Masking up with N95 masks can significantly reduce inhalation dose during a nuclear event, but pro-nuke advocates rarely mention this lifesaving tip.
  2. Spent nuclear fuel becomes significantly less dangerous over time due to radioactive decay, with minimal risk after 600 years. This valuable material can also be recycled and is not as hazardous as commonly believed.
  3. The Linear No Threshold (LNT) radiation model is flawed in its assumption of strictly additive harm. Challenging this model and proposing an alternative that considers our body's ability to repair radiation damage is key to advancing nuclear power safety.

The Space Energy Industry: will it give us an emissions-free future?

Space Ambition • 399 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
🔬 Science Space Exploration Renewable Energy Nuclear power Astrobiology
  1. The space energy industry is growing rapidly and could help provide clean energy to Earth, reducing carbon emissions.
  2. Solar and nuclear power are the main options for providing energy in space, with solar being more effective for missions near Earth and Mars, while nuclear is better for farther distances.
  3. China is leading in developing space-based solar power, which could deliver a large amount of energy back to Earth, making it a feasible option for our future energy needs.

Explaining Climate Policy: When Costs Aren't

David Friedman’s Substack • 260 implied HN points • 26 Aug 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate Policy Global Warming Nuclear power Geoengineering
  1. When it comes to climate policy, some people view costs as benefits, creating different perspectives on energy use and global warming solutions.
  2. Alternatives like nuclear power, natural gas, and geoengineering can help reduce global warming without reducing energy use, but not all advocates support these options.
  3. Using a crisis like global warming as an excuse for political agendas or personal beliefs is a common pattern across different contexts and political ideologies.

The Price Anderson Suicide Pact

Gordian Knot News • 161 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
💰 Finance Insurance Nuclear power Compensation
  1. In the US, the response to nuclear accidents is governed by the Price Anderson Act and American tort system
  2. The Secondary Financial Protection under Price Anderson can lead to mandatory post-casualty assessments on nuclear plants
  3. INPO, a self-regulation inspection service, influences the safety culture of nuclear plants by focusing on preventing costly accidents

Is there a Cotwus out there?

Gordian Knot News • 87 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Nuclear power International relations Climate change Global Cooperation Economic Development
  1. A vision where a poor country adopts Underwriter Certification for regulating nuclear power, leading to economic boom and technological advancements
  2. The concept of a country like Cotwus attracting nuclear power plant developers and becoming the richest nation due to cheap electricity, infrastructure development, and sharing in ventures
  3. The potential global impact of other countries adopting Underwriter Certification, leading to more competition in the nuclear power business, cost reduction, and progress towards green hydrogen fuels

The case for 1 mSv per day

Gordian Knot News • 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.

The Rise and Fall Of Yankee Rowe

Gordian Knot News • 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.

Taiwan’s Power Crunch vs AI Ambitions

Taipology • 22 implied HN points • 19 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Energy Policy Nuclear power Infrastructure
  1. Taiwan aims to develop its own AI called 'Sovereign AI,' but it faces challenges in powering the necessary data centers.
  2. Currently, Taiwan struggles with electricity supply, limiting its ability to support large data centers needed for AI development.
  3. The government could restart mothballed nuclear reactors to increase power supply, which may be crucial for Taiwan to keep up with global AI advancements.

SNT versus LNT at Fukushima

Gordian Knot News • 124 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🔬 Science Nuclear power
  1. There's a significant difference in harm estimation between SNT and LNT models at Fukushima.
  2. The ability to repair radiation damage affects radiation risk insurability.
  3. Accurate radiation harm models and fixed compensation schemes are crucial for nuclear power safety.

Nuclear Meltdown

Polymathic Being • 66 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🔬 Science Nuclear power Energy Production Technology advancements
  1. Nuclear energy has advanced significantly in safety and technology, offering powerful environmental benefits.
  2. Outdated fears surrounding nuclear energy are based on events from half a century ago and misunderstandings of current reactor designs.
  3. Innovations like small modular reactors and new fuel sources are making nuclear energy safer, more efficient, and versatile in various applications.

Underwriter Certification of Nuclear Power

Gordian Knot News • 43 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Nuclear power
  1. The Gordian Knot Group has released a new version of the Underwriter Certification Manual for nuclear power, essentially a brand new document.
  2. If you have a previous version, delete it and download this updated version from the Flop book site.
  3. It's important to stay updated on certification manuals, especially in industries like nuclear power where accuracy is crucial.

NuScale Power and more broadly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): A horse-and-buggy business model in the age of the automobile.

Chadvesting • 0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 23
💼 Business Energy Renewables Nuclear power Stock Market Legal issues
  1. NuScale Power and Small Modular Reactors face challenges after pilot project cancellation and cost overruns.
  2. Renewable energy like wind and solar are becoming more cost-effective compared to small modular reactors.
  3. The traditional baseload model of nuclear energy is becoming less compatible with the evolving energy landscape.

Why Germany Quit Nuclear Power

Amadeus Pagel's Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🌍 World Politics Germany Nuclear power
  1. Germany decided to quit nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster and subsequent political reactions.
  2. The shift away from nuclear power was influenced by state elections in Germany and public concern for the environment.
  3. Timing played a key role in Germany's decision to phase out nuclear power, as shifting priorities led to a move towards renewable energy.