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Title:
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Are light water reactor systems sustainable?
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Author(s):
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Published by:
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Publication date:
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ECN
Policy Studies
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1-1-2004
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ECN report number:
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Document type:
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ECN-RX--04-113
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Article (scientific)
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Number of pages:
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0
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Published in: The Journal of Energy of Energy and Development, volume 29, no. 1, 2003. (), , , Vol., p.-.
Abstract:
This paper discusses
the concept ?intermediate sustainability,? in which there is some substitution
between natural and technical capital over the foreseeable future. We suggest criteria by which
to judge the intermediate sustainability of nuclear energy, in particular
the LWR energy system. We
conclude that LWR technology does not violate intermediate sustainability
criteria for environmental emissions (including LWR plant health and
safety) or accidental radioactive release. However, one could argue that LWR energy systems
do not satisfy all of the intermediate sustainability criteria because
of (1) their use of a depletable resource, uranium, and (2) the existence
of externalities associated with the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Also, we conclude that the LWR industry is not economically sustainable
unless the cost of new LWR capacity is greatly reduced. Therefore, we suggest new nuclear power
research to focus on proliferation-resistant technologies with (1) lower
costs of construction and (2) increased fuel efficiency in the longer
run.
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