A Blivet

October 23, 2004 7:10 PM

A Blivet.More nuclear waste than the planned repository at Yucca Mountain can hold will pile up at reactor sites as the government continues to approve license extensions for power plants, an environmental research organization claimed in a study to be released today. If a repository is built by 2010 in the mountain, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, its 77,000-ton capacity will be filled by existing spent fuel awaiting shipment. That's not counting another 9,900 tons that will have accumulated in the meantime from license extensions, according to the study by the Environmental Working Group.
posted by kablam (10 comments total)

(To explain: a "blivet" is an Australian-American military term from the 1940s, usually defined as "Ten pounds of shit in a five pound sack.")
posted by kablam at 7:11 PM on October 23, 2004

It's still better than pumping soot (some of which is radioactive) and carbon oxides into the atmosphere.

Nuclear power is the lesser of two evils until someone develops viable solar, geothermal, wind or wave power.
posted by spazzm at 7:33 PM on October 23, 2004

"Unacceptable"
(bad religion)

irreducible is the word for today, plastic compounds and nuclear
waste, what the hell is the matter with the pople on this planet? have
we all gone insane? the stigma of industrial progress killing us over
and over agin, one part per trillion... unacceptable, on part per
billion... unacceptable, one part per million... unacceptable, this
mammoth program set upon us courtesy of the U.S.A., inexcusable are
the men before our time, i'd like to kick their ass for what they left
behind, cancer-causing chemicals, ozone-depleting aerosols, we're all
going to fry, so put your head between your legs and kiss your ass
goodbye
posted by black8 at 7:49 PM on October 23, 2004

I have no problem with nuclear power, but if you want the plant, you get to keep the waste. This shipping it all over the country bullshit isn't right.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:06 PM on October 23, 2004

The Yucca Mountain Repository was an idiotic idea from the start, based on politics, not science. Bush promised to reexamine it carefully if elected in 2000, then pushed it through. Kerry promises that it will never happen if he is elected, which just may tip the scales for him here in Nevada.
posted by rushmc at 8:31 PM on October 23, 2004

I am a Nevada resident. Yucca mountain is probably the *biggest* issue here this election. Two things:
1. Electoral college might be crappy in other ways, but those extra electoral votes come in handy for stuff like this.
2. The worst part of this for many nevada residents is that given the proper investment, we could supply practically the entire country's energy needs using the cleanest sources available. Im talking about miles and miles of excellent solar locations, range after range of superb wind-farm spots. Instead, these precious-yet-unrecognized resources are being used to store the crap from less efficient energy systems and at the same time posing a significant risk to us.

I dont want to burst anyones bubble, but Nevada is not some sort of ungodly wasteland. It is absolutley chock full of the most beautiful mountains and deserts and wildlife and everything in between.
posted by H. Roark at 11:44 PM on October 23, 2004

The problem with solar energy is:
Where do you get power when the sun doesn't shine? Even the most perfect spot on earth for solar power only gets sunlight less than 50% of the time.

The problem with wind energy is:
Where do you get power when there is no wind?

All currently available storage options has several disadvantages - mainly price, limited lifetime and/or use of nasty chemicals.
posted by spazzm at 1:36 AM on October 24, 2004

I wonder if Yucca Mountain is considering this solution? (Originally from UK's Daily Telgraph)
posted by pots at 4:30 AM on October 24, 2004

Yucca Mountain Project website.
posted by rushmc at 8:05 AM on October 24, 2004

> I dont want to burst anyones bubble, but Nevada is not some sort of
> ungodly wasteland. It is absolutley chock full of the most beautiful mountains
> and deserts and wildlife and everything in between.

Super! So let's cover it all up with solar panels and windmills.
posted by jfuller at 11:09 AM on October 24, 2004