Rancho Seco to Open Again?

SMUD's Rancho Seco Nuclear Power facility was closed on 6 June 1989 due to a public vote. But according to an AP Enviromental Writer, Michael Casey, the Uninted States and Russia are looking to reviving long-dormant nuclear plants. Could Rancho Seco be one of those plants on the revival plan? No word from SMUD, but I personally would love to see it open again.

This decision comes amid growing concerns over rising oil prices and fossil fuel emisions blamed for global warming. The interest in atomic energy is growing world wide.

The Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry advocacy group based in Washington D.C. says that "every 1,000-megawatt reactor saves 7.9 million barrels of oil or 3.4 million tons of coal a year and eliminates 34,000 tons of polluting sulfer dioxide and 11,000 tons of nitrogen oxide." The Rancho Seco facility has a 2772 MWt (megawatt thermal) Babcock and Wilcox pressurized water reactor for 913 MWe (megawatt electrical).

Asia is also jumping into the nuclear power program. China and India are already facing huge energy shortages, based on their current energy mix.

Eighteen new reactors are being constructed in Asia, roughly 70% of the total being built world wide.

South Korea is the world's third biggest oil importer and the second biggest coal importer. At this time 40% of South Korea's power comes from nuclear power and they are talking of raising that number to 60% by 2035. Currently, South Korea has four new reactors being constructed, two of which are 1,000-megwatt reactors. Another four are planned for completion by 2017.

China is currently operating at 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power. This number will increase to 40 gigawatts by 2020, with the addition of 30 new nuclear plants.

India will go from 3 gigawatts to 20 gigawatts by 2020, with an additional 31 plants.

Japan, currently depends on nuclear power for a third of it's total power. They are looking to double this output by 2050. Australia and Indonesia are looking to build their first plants sometime soon.

But, reactors is not a problem in Asia. The big problem is what to do with the waste. At the present time no country in Asia has a permanent site for the already 40,000 tons of toxic spent fuel produced so far.