Has there ever been a Nuclear plant in the US that was built on time and on budget?
The Surry plants in Virginia were built in 4 or 5 years. This is quite reasonable. Wikipedia says cost was under $2 billion (2007 dollars). Also quite reasonable.
https://pris.iaea.org/PRIS/CountryStatistics/ReactorDetails…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surry_Nuclear_Power_Plant
The Duane Arnold plant had about the same construction time and cost.
https://pris.iaea.org/PRIS/CountryStatistics/ReactorDetails…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duane_Arnold_Energy_Center
Today, China builds large nuclear power plants on time, at what appears to be a reasonable cost. They keep ordering more new plants, so the costs can’t be too high.
https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/China-approves-c…
It should also be emphasized that construction cost is only part of the total cost associated with power plants. Also important are the fuel and operating costs, which are low for nuclear. Also, today’s nuclear plants are designed to last at least 60 years, so the construction cost can be amortized over a long time. Wind turbines and solar panels might last 20 or 25 years, and then will need to be replaced.
Plus the big issue of NUCLEAR WASTE. They have been promising a solution to the waste issue for 50+ years and nothing has been done to solve it.
The POLITICIANS of a certain party will not allow a solution. The Yucca Mountain project was well under way, but certain POLITICIANS decided to make it a political issue, so they killed it for no technical or scientific reason.
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/05/10…
From the NY Times…
The Obama administration’s rushed efforts to shut down Yucca Mountain were strictly political and could set back the opening of a nuclear waste repository by more than 20 years, according to a new report by a federal watchdog.
Also…
The Obama administration did not provide a technical or scientific basis for shutting down the site and failed to plan or identify risks associated with its hasty closure, which could hinder the Energy Department if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or lawsuits prompt the agency to revive the project, the report said.
Right now the US is dotted with giant nuclear swimming pools for spent fuel rods that have no place to go.
Spent nuclear fuel only spends a few years in those “swimming pools”. It is usually then transferred into dry storage casks, which will last a long time.
Pictures at the following links…
https://www.nucleartourist.com/images/7_casks.jpg
https://twitter.com/ISPnuclear/status/1532373228492148747?cx…