News, Republicans push nuclear energy to lower costs.

[golfgod]

NewtoCA asked;

How do you differentiate conservation from the Carter sentiments?

Well it wasn't the "Carter sentiments", it was the Republican argument against Carter. But we know the Republican plan has worked out so well, right?

Every house I ever owned in Texas, (about 75 of them) had INSUFFICIENT insulation in the attic, where over 90% of the heat gain originates. It wasn't until the '90s that builders started putting in R40 or so, and I'm not sure it was required, I just saw it in some. Each house that I purchased I upped to attic insulation to R40 or so, added ridge and soffit vents (when I re-roofed) and put solar "screens" on all south and west facing windows.

On average my electric bills (not just mine, but my tenants' bills) were about 1/2 to 60% of those of my neighbors in comparable houses. There was no "suffering" in my houses, just smart building.

During the Enron induced (not really a) electricity "shortage" in CA there was a lot of shouting on right wing radio that "it's all their fault, they haven't built a new power plant in 30 years". Of course that wasn't true and did not take into account expansions of existing plants. One thing that CA had done though was CONSERVE. There were city and county programs to add insulation, change to low flow toilets (pumping water is about the number 3 consumer of electricity in CA) and similar energy saving programs. IIRC the state at one time claimed that these programs had PREVENTED them from having to build several power plants.

A final word on nuclear, which everyone (except perhaps the nuclear energy trade group) generally agrees is the most expensive form of electrity. At one time Houston Lighting and Power was getting about 10% of its electricity from the South Texas Nuclear Plant. But its investment in that plant was about NINETY PERCENT OF HL&P's capital.

golfgod

[GOPATTA2D]

Originally Posted by ergohead

They haven't finished cleaning up Hanford.

Nuclear Safety Columbia River at Risk (http://www.oregon.gov/ENERGY/NUCSAF/HCleanup.shtml - broken link)

Apples and Oranges - educate yourself. More liberal propaganda.

[AeroGuyDC]

New nuclear power plants are quietly being planned behind the scenes. I can say this without hesitation...I have performed the airspace obstruction analyses for the proposed sites in every quadrant of the United States as part of the work I do. That's about all the information I can divulge, but it's real and its coming to a neighborhood near you.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

New nuclear power plants are quietly being planned behind the scenes. I can say this without hesitation...I have performed the airspace obstruction analyses for the proposed sites in every quadrant of the United States as part of the work I do. That's about all the information I can divulge, but it's real and its coming to a neighborhood near you.

Good, hope you are correct.

[afoigrokerkok]

Nuclear power is not the way to go...solar/wind power is. The risks are far too high with nuclear.

Just to be clear...I am a Republican saying this.

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by afoigrokerkok

Nuclear power is not the way to go...solar/wind power is. The risks are far too high with nuclear.

Just to be clear...I am a Republican saying this.

I partially agree with you, but don't believe it can generate enough to fulfill future power needs. I think it could reduce the nuclear need a bit, but not eliminate it.

[RayinAK]

In reality, nuclear power would be the best option at the moment, and I say this regardless of what any to the Democrats or Republicans in Congress have say about it. Just look at Japan and France, which use nuclear power plants.