• perishthethought@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    4 months ago

    Ok so, realistically, if we all agree on this today, when would new nuclear power plants begin generating electricity? With all the regulations which are in place today?

    • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      ≈20-30 years, outside of China. They should have the first molten salt reactors being turned on in another 8 years or so, but they started those projects in 2020

    • Krono@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      If we “all agree” and do a moonshot construction plan we could have electricity in 8 years. This is a fantasy, tho.

      Best case scenario in the real world is operational in 12 years.

      In the capitalist hellscape here in the US, a reasonable expectation would be 18-20 years.

      20 years also happens to be the lifespan of our wind turbines. In 20 years, all of the currently running wind turbine blades will be in a landfill and new ones will need to be manufactured to replace them.

      No reasonable person is suggesting nuclear as a short-term option. It’s a long term investment.