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WSHazel

(915 posts)
4. There is no rational reason to build new nuclear plants
Tue Jun 23, 2026, 06:33 PM
Tuesday

Future increases in demand for electricity are dependent on massive increases in data center demand, which is economically impossible. Either the LLMs are going to get a lot more efficient, reducing demand for data centers, or the LLMs fail altogether, which reduces data center demand. Either way, straight lining capacity need off projected growth while holding technology steady, is an asinine assumption.

If the markets don’t need all these data centers, they won’t need huge, fixed production power plants that use old technology like nuclear power.

If there is a gap in power needs vs. capacity and there must be more power generation, using alternative to fill the gap is the logical path since it is so much cheaper than nuclear and it doesn’t compute. It also has much shorter lead times than nuclear.

Finally, if it is determined that nuclear must be part of the equation, why wouldn’t the market wait for miniaturization of nuclear which seems likely in the next 5 years.

In other words, there is no reason to start building expensive nuclear power plants that take a decade to build, may be unnecessary, and will certainly be obsolete by the time they are operational.

Recommendations

8 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Nuclear reactors themselves don't bother me GenThePerservering Tuesday #1
True that! Hopefully... reACTIONary Tuesday #9
They've slashed safety regulations for plant construction/operation. There were posts here about that some time back. highplainsdem Tuesday #13
Just found the thread I posted then, which links to another thread about it: highplainsdem Tuesday #14
Thanks! reACTIONary Tuesday #15
It seems that these changes apply.... reACTIONary Tuesday #17
They've been weakening safety requirements everywhere. Contnuing to do so with nuclear reactors. See highplainsdem Tuesday #20
Thanks! reACTIONary Tuesday #24
Response from the AGs of several Democratic states: highplainsdem Tuesday #22
We had one built in Kansas 40 years ago and it sky rocketed our rates. All they've Bengus81 Yesterday #29
Most likely as dedicated power for data centers. pecosbob Tuesday #2
And what are their plans for the nuclear waste? nt pnwmom Tuesday #3
They will let Dems take care of that small problem. republianmushroom Tuesday #7
There is no rational reason to build new nuclear plants WSHazel Tuesday #4
You're overthinking it maxrandb Tuesday #18
my $2800 solar rooftop been working silently for 18 yrrs and NO cost overrun. paid off 10 yrs ago msongs Tuesday #5
But wind turbines cause cancer. republianmushroom Tuesday #6
If Congress has the purse and must approve what the expenditure is for, how does F45 have the in2herbs Tuesday #8
These loans are financed.... reACTIONary Tuesday #10
Not Enough modrepub Tuesday #11
Yeah, just wait not fooled Tuesday #12
Those plants were so GD expensive to build forty years ago it almost BK KG&E in Kansas Bengus81 Yesterday #30
Same company that built the reactors at Fukushima flamingdem Tuesday #16
I keep feeling something inside me that says we're in for a major slightlv Tuesday #19
Better this than gas power plants which will have killed billions of people... hunter Tuesday #21
Hmmm lonely bird Tuesday #23
maybe we can convince them that neutrons have life-extending properties? DBoon Yesterday #26
How about we build one in the West palm beach area? Bengus81 Yesterday #31
Just kick that plutonium waste down the road for future generations to worry about. LudwigPastorius Yesterday #25
Moron.Hurry up and bed down for your dirt nap. 58Sunliner Yesterday #27
Trump is paying billions to cancel wind power while paying billions more to support nuclear power. Lonestarblue Yesterday #28
I think I'd rather see one Diablo Canyon sized nuclear power plant... hunter Yesterday #32
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