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-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jordan will build a nuclear-steam generating plant, despite its proximity to Saudi Arabia. See > http://www.power-technology.com/news/news64301.html?mxmroi=6066531/2129656/false So if you think like ExxonMobil, that peak oil is coming after 2030, think again. The King of Jordan does not agree with you ! ============================ On hearing this news, some people have commented, "Why not nuclear power for Puerto Rico ?" [or "Country X"] . Well maybe so, but most countries contemplating the construction of a nuclear plant should begin by thinking about how they are going to deal with the following problems > [1] The people who build these plants still haven't learned how to control their costs, although they are doing much better. In the 1970's, cost overruns at completion were frequently 200-300% of the original budget approved by a board of directors ! Nowadays overruns are on the order of only 20-30%. But that is still too much for Puerto Rico [and many other jurisdictions] . And what if construction of the plant falls behind schedule ? Where will one obtain the power which it was supposed to supply from the promised date on line ? From a neighboring utility or from existing units which burn petrofuels ? Remember that we are talking about big stations, with a gross generating capacity of 600-1,000 mW at least. [This will, of course, be a problem for Jordan as well. However, Jordan has a shot at Qatar electricity or Saudi oil, if things go awry with its nuclear plant. But how about your utility ?] [2] Aside from Jordan and a few other countries with lots of desert, most countries cannot consider long-term storage, in Yucca Flats or anywhere else. Yet too little spare capacity for reprocessing spent fuel is currently available in politically reliable countries. In any case, your jurisdiction would have to "get in line" behind a number of countries with nuclear projects already under construction. [3] The world's supply of uranium will not run out for a long time. However, within ten years, the industry will have to start exploiting new ore bodies. These are located in environmentally sensitive and political difficult jurisdictions such as rural Bolivia. Good luck ! Cordially. Lewis L. Smith ###
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