The Truth About Nuclear Energy with Anthony Jared - WBD614

Anthony Jared is a 30-year Navy veteran and who has operated
nuclear reactors on both nuclear submarines & aircraft
carriers. In this interview, we discuss the truth about nuclear
energy, the safety concerns and why there has been such a
prolific anti-nuclear movement.


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Nuclear energy is a contentious issue. And yet…


In terms of death rates per unit of electricity production,
accounting for accidents and conservative pollution assessments,
nuclear energy is the second safest source of energy: solar has
0.02 deaths per TWh, nuclear 0.03, Oil 18.43, coal 24.62, and
brown coal 32.72. This equates to someone dying prematurely as a
result of nuclear every 33 years in a town of 150,000, whilst in
the same town as a result of coal 25 people per year would die
prematurely.


Nuclear is the cleanest energy source. Per GWh, nuclear produces
3 tonnes of greenhouse gases, solar 5 tonnes, natural gas 490
tonnes, oil 720 tonnes, and coal 820 tonnes.


Little nuclear waste is generated, particularly where waste is
reprocessed: in France, less than 0.2 of the waste is high level.
US Oak Ridge National Laboratory estimates coal-powered plants
carry 100 times more radiation than nuclear power plants into the
surrounding environment.


Further, nuclear has the potential to be the cheapest energy
source. A cost comparison is complex: for every analysis stating
nuclear is the most economical energy source, there’s a report
stating the opposite. However, nuclear investment has dropped
considerably. In 1979 234 reactors were under construction around
the world. In 2022 there were 59. Innovation and economies of
scale haven’t benefited nuclear. Rather, it’s been beset by
increasing regulatory costs.


Why is nuclear energy a contentious issue and what is the truth?