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2/22/08 The Nucl'r B'ness

3/20/08 Use More Energy!

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Posted 5/6/08

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

I recently worked on a job related to the next generation nuclear plant development that is going on. While no one has actually placed a solid order, one thing is very clear to me: If only half of the projects planned actually start, the US does not have even 25% of the nuclear experience needed to pull it off. The reason that this is the case is another long, sad discussion (see previous Blog, The Nucl’r B’ness ) . I have been to a lot of diverse types of nuclear facilities lately and 75% of the people I see are gray of head and long of tooth. Like, well….me.

At some utilities that I know, those eligible for retirement are, as a wise friend of mine puts it, "just one piss-off away from walking out the door". It will be another 5 years before the new wave of plants kicks off in earnest, if it does.  (It is going to take $250 oil and $10 gas to make the liberals who are about to be in total charge roll over.) By that time, the aging nuclear experience base will be even more wrinkled. The NSSS vendors and AE’s will need to invest in walker-accessible buildings and plenty of Rascal scooter parking. Geritol vending machines would be nice as well.

So, we must look overseas for help.  Ironic, isn’t it?  We did invent this stuff didn't we?  But it is not clear that even that will be enough. In fact, it surely will not be. And that does not even address the lack of manufacturing capability. The only large forging facility in the world is in Japan. Where do we think our friends in Japan and Europe will place their priority for use of their limited nuclear resources? Stumped? Okay, here is a hint. One of them got their butts kicked by our fathers and grandfathers less than 70 years ago, and the other (some of whom were also butt-kickees) has always been rabidly jealous of us. They basically hate our guts for our success and our annoying habit of saving them from themselves every few decades. Sure, they will allow us to increase our deficit if they can make money, but only up to the point where it jeopardizes their own situations. So the answer is…. they will keep most of their resources for themselves. And those are just our allies . Our enemies will try even harder to hurt us by draining us of our wealth in return for their oil (OPEC, Russia, Iran) and using the profits to develop their own nuclear programs.

So what do we do? Well, we must mount a Manhattan Project style effort to train the needed people before the experience base is either dead or too senile to care. Unfortunately, the government has to lead, or at least allow it.  Industry has to step up also.  More licensing process improvements; get waste disposal off the schnide; sponsor scholarships for engineers who agree to work in nuclear power; drill, drill, drill -refine, refine, refine to give us more time; free golf clubs for old nukes (okay, I slipped that one in); and tax incentives for nuclear projects, to name just a few things.  Is this all likely to happen? Not a chance. But maybe some of it, or better ideas, will emerge.

As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy and they is us." It is not the world that we need to save from itself this time. It are we who must save us from ourselves.  Or something like that.

And now my life has changed in oh so many ways; My independence seems to vanish in the haze. But every now and then I feel so insecure; I know that I just need you like I've never done before… ( The Beatles, "Help!" – Help!)

Note: The sentiments expressed in this blog are strictly the personal opinions of Ken L.Walker and refer to no specific person or entity.