THE CARBON-FREE MYTH
A big argument of nuclear promoters in a period of global warming and climate change is that "reactors aren't putting greenhouse gases out into the atmosphere," noted the engineer.
But this "completely ignores" the "nuclear chain"--the cycle of the nuclear power process that begins with the mining of uranium and continues with milling, enrichment and fabrication of nuclear fuel "and all of this is carbon intensive." There are the greenhouse gasses discharged during the construction of the steel and formation of the concrete used in nuclear plants, transportation that is required, and in the construction of the plants themselves.
"It comes back to a net gain of zero," said the engineer.
Meanwhile, "we have so many ways of generating electric power that are far more truly carbon-free."
THE BOTTOM LINE
"The bottom line," said the engineer, "is that radioactivity is the deadliest material which exists on the face of this planet--and we have no way of controlling it once it is out. With radioactivity, you can't see it, smell it, touch it or hear it--and you can't clean it up. There is nothing with which we can suck up radiation."
Once in the atmosphere--once having been emitted from a nuclear plant through routine operation or in an accident--"that radiation is out there killing living tissue whether it be plant, animal or human life and causing illness and death."
What about the claim by the nuclear industry and promoters of nuclear power within the federal government of a "new generation" of nuclear power plants that would be safer? The only difference, said the engineer, is that it might be a "different kind of gun--but it will have the same bullets: radioactivity that kills."
The engineer said "I'd like to see every nuclear plant shut down--yesterday."
In announcing the agreement on the closing of Indian Point, Governor Cuomo described it as a "ticking time bomb." There are more of them. Nuclear power overall remains, as the experienced engineer from the nuclear industry said, a "ticking time bomb."
And every nuclear power plant needs to be shut down.
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