Nuclear power now makes up about 25% of the generation of Georgia Power, the largest unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co.

First U.S. nuclear reactor built from scratch in decades enters commercial operation in Georgia::ATLANTA — A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new American reactor built from scratch in decades.

    • RvTV95XBeo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      The good news - it’s online, generating clean power, and hopefully demonstrating the safety and benefits of modern nuclear plants.

      The bad news - it’s $17B over budget (+120%) and 7 years behind schedule (+100%). Those kind of overages aren’t super promising for investors, but perhaps there are enough lessons learned on this one that will help the next one sail a little smoother.

      Either way, good to see it can still be done in the US.

      • aksdb@feddit.deEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        I wouldn’t call it “clean power”. We still don’t have a good solution for the nuclear waste.

        Edit: Downvotes because I am not religiously defending a technology and pointing out that there are downsides (EVERYTHING HAS DOWNSIDES!). Too many people from reddit here already.

        • UnPassive@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          1 year ago

          Nuclear power plant waste doesn’t significantly contribute to climate change or pollution? So it’s “clean” by most metrics.

          Nuclear waste can generally be stored on-site without issue. Reprocessing would be nice, but not even necessary. Just because you don’t understand the problem, doesn’t mean others are “religiously defending a technology.”

          • aksdb@feddit.deEnglish
            0·
            1 year ago

            Coal was also considered clean in the beginning because they didn’t have to sacrifice forests anymore.

            We may not consider the waste a problem now, but that may very well look differently in 50 or 100 years.

            Again: I am completely fine considering nuclear power as one of the best options we have. I am not so fine pretending it’s without tradeoffs, because that would ignore how any other form of energy generation in the past/ever finally turned out.