Want the whole story on nuclear power? You pay, big time

Want the whole story on nuclear power? You pay, big time

Date published: 2/25/2005

In an article about the North Anna Power Station, The Free Lance-Star reported that Dominion employee Lisa Shell said, "We're here because we don't think the media are telling the whole story" ["Citizenry speaks out against North Anna reactors," Feb. 18].

I agree. If the media were attempting to tell the whole story about nuclear power, news- papers would report that the industry exists only because of anti-market subsidies it receives.

Nuclear power is uninsurable. It has always been, due to the cost of catastrophic accidents, and it is even more so today because of the increased threat of terrorist attacks.

Through the Price-Anderson Act, the federal government dramatically limits the liability of nuclear operators in the event of an accident.

The public also pays most of the nuclear-waste costs. Yucca Mountain, the proposed long-term waste-storage facility, is estimated to ultimately cost $58 billion--enough money to build 60,000 production windmills.

Yucca Mountain cannot handle all of the nation's radioactive waste; it has recently been blocked by the courts and may never open.

Dominion's quest for a license to build new reactors near Richmond is also being substantially supported by taxpayers. Recently, Dominion asked the DOE for $250 million to help cover the costs of the design and construction license.

If the media were giving the full story on nuclear power, the taxpayers would revolt over these subsidies and the government would stop wasting its resources.

Paxus Calta

Louisa

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Date published: 2/25/2005