As nuclear power flails in the U.S., White House bets big on a revival

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1. WAYNESBORO, Ga. — The cooling towers and hulking containment buildings of the new units at the Alvin W. Vogtle electric plant served as a dramatic backdrop for Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s recent declaration that “it’s time to cash in” and move quickly to build more nuclear plants in the United States.

   But the Vogtle plant was a curious choice for a victory lap. When the final reactor went online at the end of April, the expansion was seven years behind schedule and nearly $20 billion over budget. It ultimately cost more than twice as much as promised, with [ratepayers footing much of the bill](https://www.ajc.com/news/psc-raises-georgia-power-rates-passing-most-plant-vogtle-expansion-costs-on-to-customers/6BAIOWM7J5BVHFZ2UN27KYXENA/) through surcharges and rate hikes.

   As the Biden administration seeks to promote cleaner energy to meet its goals for fighting climate change, it is eager to turn around a nuclear power industry hampered by cost overruns, engineering setbacks and major doubts about viability. In her remarks, Granholm said the country must triple its output of nuclear energy by 2050 to meet climate goals, which means adding the equivalent of nearly 100 more Vogtle-size projects.

   Administration officials say the country has no choice but to make nuclear power a workable option again. The country is fast [running short on electricity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/07/ai-data-centers-power/?itid=lk_inline_manual_8), demand for power is surging amid a boom in construction of data centers and manufacturing plants, and a neglected power grid is struggling to accommodate enough new wind and solar power to meet the nation’s needs.

   Read more here: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/06/05/nuclear-power-vogtle-georgia-granholm/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/06/05/nuclear-power-vogtle-georgia-granholm/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)

2. https://archive.is/5XZmS

3. “Flails” is right.

   The only reason these things get built is because of massive taxpayer support and the huge capacity for graft the a $30 billion project opens up for contractors and the politicians greenlighting the project.

   > But Parsons and other experts say jump-starting the nuclear industry will also require a big new infusion of federal cash, potentially in the tens of billions of dollars.

   Bingo.

   Too slow to build, and too expensive to build. Any plants started today are going to look like ludicrously expensive museum pieces by the time they start operating some time in the 2040s.

4. > South Carolina utility SCANA burned through $9 billion before scrapping the project altogether.

   Holy cow. These things are a bigger money pit than CCS!