Reply #1: The key phrase here is "notoriously docile agencies . . ." [View All]

[MrModerate]

While I think that perhaps overstates the case, it is true that the NRC always tries to put itself in a partnership position with utilities rather than an adversarial one when it comes to building, maintaining, or decommissioning nukes. At the same time, they know the science and the engineering and are widely regarded as honest.

That having been said, I think it's unrealistic to think that the utilities won't find a way to work with (or around) the NRC to get a new generation of nuke stations under way and on stream. There's simply too much impetus behind replacing fossil fuels with . . . something . . . to hold back the tide. As much as I respect Al Gore, I don't think we're going to see renewables in a dominant position in 10 years (maybe if HE was president . . .)