I have always been a fan of nuclear and fully understand the technicalities and risks etc etc but watching the video from inside Fukushima today really kind of hits home about how dangerous radiation really is and makes you think “maybe there is a better way”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16644935

Just what % of our nuke output is actually running now?

76.75% right at the moment

Thats of the “nominal full load of course which actually means its a lot less than that as two of the biggest are turned down to 70% as they are fubared and others are turned down as well.

For balance wind is currently running at 34%

TJ has raised an excellent point – nuclear stations can’t be cranked up to eleven on a whim.

What can?

Nuclear Subs?

Thats of the “nominal full load of course which actually means its a lot less than that as two of the biggest are turned down to 70% as they are fubared and others are turned down as well.

OK its 71% if you take their design outputs.

Out of interest why is wind currently operating at such a low percentage of its installed capacity? Not windy in Scotland at the moment? Are they all fubared or turned down??

For balance wind is currently running at 34%

What’s the highest it’s been?

its certainly not windy here. 30 odd % is about the average / norm is it not for onshore wind?

People tend to get the wrong end of the stick with wind power.. It’s max rating is much much higher than the average wind so that it runs effectively when it it is really blowing.

If they turned it up to 100% it would fall apart if not blow up! Remember its propaganda from the nuclear industry as well- downplaying the risks all the time.

Forgive me yes it would fall apart and blow up as you ave said so …Ah sorry I forgot just how impartial your expert advice on the safety was and how you have no agenda here…..Thanks

Junkyar – the nuclear inspectorate made them turn it down.

mjb – Member

Just what % of our nuke output is actually running now?

76.75% right at the moment

Posted 1 hour ago # Report-Post

Then you need to take out all the power used to run the place and all the hot air expeled tring and failing to prove to peeps its a safe thing.

Usual tripe I see.

Airplanes/airports killing people? Did you miss 9/11 or have I missed some incredible piece of irony?

Nuclear Power too expensive: The system would work much better if market forces were allowed to exert an appropriate influence on pricing. The point over insurance is entirely valid. There isn’t a conventional power station that has and is likely to create the potential costs in recent history that Fukiwhatsit and Chernobyl have. That’s why the insurance thing is not now an issue for conventional. It might have been had they known what the issues were 50 or 60 years ago, but they didn’t.SInce then conventional have been closed as quick as possible therefore no longer an insurance issue. As opposed to Nuclear where the issues are becoming more and more obvious and more and more risky, but where governments are intervening to skew the outcome in favour of nuclear and therefore despite all the evidence suggesting that we should get the hell away from them, we are opening them. Trust me if there was a good chance of money to be made the insurers would be in there like no tomorrow. They aren’t daft and their assessments of risk aren’t often too far wide of the mark.