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106473 t1_j1lm0nj wrote

Reply to comment by liverbird3 in So here I sit in the dark. Wearing flannel-lined jeans and a hoodie. And I get an email from First Energy saying if I don't conserve electricity there may be managed blackouts. WTF? by BeltfedOne

Wasn't bad, and was managed properly.

Nuclear reactors now are hugely more efficient and safer than back then.

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nss68 t1_j1m6vta wrote

Wasn't bad? They literally still hand out iodine tablets to the surrounding residences every year. This area has one of the highest rates of thyroid cancer and other thyroid issues in the country.

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Espejo1753 t1_j1mq3nq wrote

Nuclear waste is the problem. It can't be considered more efficient as long as you have nuclear waste as by-product

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Herr_Quattro t1_j1nll73 wrote

But it absolutely can. That radioactive waste is in some cases less toxic then coal ash. If we had fully committed to nuclear energy in the 50-70s, we could be 100% energy independent. And I still think it’ll be an incredibly important stepping stone to Fusion Reactors.

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106473 t1_j1ol1fw wrote

And thorium reactors that that use waste

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Irish_Blond_1964 t1_j1lzqtx wrote

You understand they haven’t built a new nuclear power plant since TMI, right?

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kowalski-analy5is t1_j1m0krr wrote

Tennessee opened one in 2016, and Georgia is building another one.

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Atrocious_1 t1_j1n8dra wrote

Wow. What part of Pennsylvania are Tennessee and Georgia in

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Irish_Blond_1964 t1_j1m1b6f wrote

I stand corrected.Still not a long term solution.

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Entire-Job7656 t1_j1n5y6p wrote

Nuclear fusion, whenever it becomes viable, is undeniably the future like it or not. It will eventually be the main source of power for everything. Solar and wind may supplement on a local level, essentially people may use them like they use generators now, but there will never be massive wind and solar farms powering everything.

Even current fission is more likely to play a much bigger role to power the country than wind or solar in the long term. I have nothing against solar panels and windmills, but anyone who believes they could replace fossil fuels entirely or in large part is living in a fantasy. Especially since fusion has so many applications beyond just powering countries.

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