Disney may lose its right to build a nuclear power station

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Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
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It absolutely drives me nuts that so many people in this country are so afraid of nuclear power even though it is one of the safest and cleanest ways to produce reliable energy.

Regardless of that, I seriously doubt that Disney has any plans to build a nuclear reactor. If they are smart, they will just use this as an opportunity to get something else they want.
 

KBLovedDisney

Well-Known Member
It absolutely drives me nuts that so many people in this country are so afraid of nuclear power even though it is one of the safest and cleanest ways to produce reliable energy.

Regardless of that, I seriously doubt that Disney has any plans to build a nuclear reactor. If they are smart, they will just use this as an opportunity to get something else they want.
My guess is that fear ultimately came from the disaster at Chernobyl. But, that is just a guess.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
My guess is that fear ultimately came from the disaster at Chernobyl. But, that is just a guess.
That is no doubt part of it. Forbes has done a couple of good articles on why people fear nuclear as well as the pushback from renewables, but when we get to raw numbers, the number of people that have died due to nuclear power accidents since its implementation in the 50's is less than the number of coal miners that die in accidents nearly every year.

I think the total in the US alone last year was 20 and that was a slow year.
 

seascape

Well-Known Member
Disney would never build a nuclear power plant. They have had the ability to build one over 50 years and didn't. They are building a massive solar power field which can power all their planned growth. However, if the country is ever going to eliminate the need for fossil fuel, nuclear power has to be part of the energy mix. We can't survive on just solar and wind power. Burning anything releases carbon so to that leave solar, wind and water and if you look at the environmental damage caused dams you will see water power doesn't eliminate environmental damage.
 

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
My guess is that fear ultimately came from the disaster at Chernobyl. But, that is just a guess.

The Chernobyl reactor was not the style of reactors used in the States. It inherently had flaws, not to mention the operators cutting off the water, disabling safety systems, and ignoring warnings to complete a test to see how much residual electricity can be generated after the reactor was shutdown. Ironically, it was a procedure to assist in a power failure, in an attempt to start the water pumps sooner. Either way, it was the oldest of the reactors, the design is not used here, and even then, it took many human error steps to cause the explosion.

Fukushima can also been averted had the cooling pumps been above sea level.
 

PorterRedkey

Well-Known Member
It absolutely drives me nuts that so many people in this country are so afraid of nuclear power even though it is one of the safest and cleanest ways to produce reliable energy.

Regardless of that, I seriously doubt that Disney has any plans to build a nuclear reactor. If they are smart, they will just use this as an opportunity to get something else they want.
I guess we will store the nuclear waste at your house.
 

danlb_2000

Premium Member
The Chernobyl reactor was not the style of reactors used in the States. It inherently had flaws, not to mention the operators cutting off the water, disabling safety systems, and ignoring warnings to complete a test to see how much residual electricity can be generated after the reactor was shutdown. Ironically, it was a procedure to assist in a power failure, in an attempt to start the water pumps sooner. Either way, it was the oldest of the reactors, the design is not used here, and even then, it took many human error steps to cause the explosion.

Fukushima can also been averted had the cooling pumps been above sea level.

None of that matters when it comes to the public perception of nuclear power. Disney would never build a nuclear power plant because it would lead to far to much negative press.
 

kap91

Well-Known Member
It absolutely drives me nuts that so many people in this country are so afraid of nuclear power even though it is one of the safest and cleanest ways to produce reliable energy.

Regardless of that, I seriously doubt that Disney has any plans to build a nuclear reactor. If they are smart, they will just use this as an opportunity to get something else they want.
Nuclear power is perfectly safe as long as you believe competent humans will be around to oversee it without any wars, politics, civil unrest, natural disaster, incompetence, etc getting in the way for around 10,000 years. Which human history definitely proves is the case. ;-)
 

PurpleJesus

Active Member
Nuclear power is the only available (that matters) viable (also mattes) energy production option that could actually reduce global emissions without re-inventing the global wheel - as it were. Nuclear could fill the gap until renewable energy sources come of age, and more importantly, battery storage is massively increased. At this point renewables biggest issue is storage, not production.

But, people are scared of it, and apparently unwilling to learn about new mini reactors and other technologies that have been developed that use much less fuel without hardly any risk. I say "hardly any risk" b/c any power plant that can produce enough energy to power an entire city is going to inherently have some risk involved in the production.

/rant

PS - Disney having a nuclear reactor would only be cool with me if it was called Darth Vader's Reactor Adventure, or Cruella's 101 Atoms Smasher.....
 

October82

Well-Known Member
Nuclear power is perfectly safe as long as you believe competent humans will be around to oversee it without any wars, politics, civil unrest, natural disaster, incompetence, etc getting in the way for around 10,000 years. Which human history definitely proves is the case. ;-)

Although it is true that some decay products in high level waste are long lived, that doesn't actually require long term monitoring or maintenance of disposal sites. It's also worth mentioning that even if it did, the global scale consequences of climate change are likely to much more serious and last just as long.
 

rickdrat

Well-Known Member
Soviet Union 1960s tech and incompetence, 70s cooling tech and incompetence, Fukushima = plant built on coast in direct line of site of known tsunamis, and without redundent backup systems....other than that.....exact same thing as a modern nuclear facility.

All were also significantly larger than necessary compared with modern tech nuclear options; especially one that Disney would use, but obviously, Disney won't do that b/c nuclear = scary. Coal mining = safe.

This isn't the place to debate it, I realize that. I'll stop, but just food for thought for folks out there reading. Lots of great studies and articles available for anyone that's curious.
I wasn't really disagreeing with you, in fact I take most of your points, however, in the public sphere, those three incidents are permanently burned in our collective minds and will continue to serve as a roadblock to future plants for some time to come.
 

NelsonRD

Well-Known Member
Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Fukushima, take your pick.

The States has different designs, standards, and methods, of building and operating nuclear power plants. Discussing accidents not in the States are moot. It is like saying US automobiles are not safe because the Peel 50 is dangerous in a wreck in the UK.

Chernobyl, Ukraine, operator error, no containment structure, graphite opposed to water moderation.
Fukushima, Japan, cooling pumps damaged after reactor shutdown, design flaw, cooling pumps should have been above sea level.

Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania (The only one you mention in the States), partial meltdown, operator error, radiation was contained within the containment structure, no radiation was released, or death.
 

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