This is the perfect conundrum that the world has to solve before we really move forward and look for new sources of energy and how we wish to develop them further. Nuclear Energy is without doubt a source that has immense potential. In fact, there could be a day when we could truly power up the city of New York for months with nothing but a glass of water (As so eloquently stated in ‘Chain Reaction’). But with what consequences? That is a question that we need to look at closely before we move any further.

Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States has filed a license application with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US-NRC) to build two new nuclear power plants near Victoria, Texas. When operating, the plants will produce zero units of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur oxides, and fly ash. The Boiling Water Reactors will each produce approximately 1,500 MW of electric power.
It is worth noting that a 3,000 MW power station operating at an average capacity factor of 90% - which is typical for a US nuclear power plant - can produce more than 23 million MW-hours of electricity each year.

If you factor in the current costs of power in Texas then this turns out to be a gold mine waiting to be dug up even in terms of the economy of it all. Of Course, it will also mean that the local economy will thrive with more jobs as well. But what about the nuclear waste? I guess for now we will have to like with it and it could be far easier to dispose of it rather than deal with more CO2 at present. All in all, it is thumbs up for the new giant project.

Via Cleantechnica

Dear readers this post is an update (well, almost) on the news piece that I shared with you all yesterday. I talked about Oregon’s announcement to build the world’s largest wind farm so far and there in I mentioned my doubts about the Pickens Plan. Business tycoon and gas magnet T. Boone Pickens had some time ago announced his mega project (to the American media) on tapping wind energy as USA happens to be one of the windiest places on earth. Beyond that announcement, no further details have been circulated and so the plan of constructing a 4000 MW wind farm in Texas does seems to be outlandish!

But as we all know these biggies of the business world work at their own pace. They like to tell the world about their plans in their own way. And this Pickens Plan is really big, so it’s a buzzword among media pundits as well. What else can one expect when a billionaire decides to invest his own money behind a project and announces his wishes? The project becomes worthy enough to be covered in the media circles – print, TV, internet etc. So, for all those who would like to know a bit more, here’s a video by ViroPOP which doesn’t elaborate excessively on what we already know. Nevertheless, it is still interesting to watch (the narration is swift) and post introduction, we get to learn a bit about sites, which facilitate eco-shopping. The viral is good enough for those who hardly know anything about the big plan. Happy watching!