I don’t think that nuclear power is the solution that many think either.
Nuclear is good for steady state base-load needs. It is not capable of handling peaks. Currently that’s where natural gas comes in, as it’s easy to turn on / off quickly.
What no-one is talking about is that our need to manage peaks is going to increase. Solar and wind are not reliable enough to depend on, so when they take a dip, we need something to step in quickly. Also, EV usage is going to create huge peaks. I know we all like to think we’re individuals etc, but in reality our herd behaviour is massive. Generally speaking, the majority of EV users are gonna be plugging in at the same times, and they have a massive draw, and are going to create massive peaks in demand.
So, I predict that means two things:
1. Natural gas generation is here to stay, no matter what.
2. Electricity supply rationing is gonna be the new normal at some point in the future…
Footnote: my personal apprehension about nuclear power is a military one. They’re nuclear targets in the event of a conflict that create a nuclear catastrophe without the need to use nuclear weapons. Yeah I know, I’m paranoid, but that don’t mean it ain’t real…
