Nuclear dilemma: adequate insurance too expensive

The nuclear power industry, like many other industries, disingenuously privatises the profits and socialises the costs. If the owners, the stockholders, got the profits when all was well but had to pay the costs of disasters, nuclear power would not exist.

“The 2.5 billion euros will be just enough to buy the stamps for the letters of condolence,” said Olav Hohmeyer, an economist at the University of Flensburg who is also a member of the German government’s environmental advisory body.

Seriously? This guy's an "economist" who thinks an accident at a nuclear plant will kill over 2.5 BILLION people?!? If I were attending the University of Flensburg, I'd be pretty embarrassed to admit it now.

Germany is planning on leeching power from their Euro neighbors, I guess. The main problem with "renewable" energies is that the majority of them do not continuously generate power. About the only one that does and is truly "renewable" is geothermal. It will take longer than 10 years to get such plants established and on the grid, so Germany is going to be faced with a power shortage in the interim if they shut down their nuke reactors under this accelerated plan.

Moral hazard. I don't think TEPCO is negligent, but there are some serious social problems that need to be addressed.

I very much hope that nuclear... negotiation is examined carefully after all this. I think the technology is ok, but the people taking the highest risks are not getting the greatest benefits. That has to change. That MUST change. And I don't think regulation or insurance is the answer. That makes me the odd man out, I know, but I think there are other ways. Some of them are almost costless.

High five to Fadamor. Japan can't be as high minded as Germany because it can't leech off of neighboring countries. Well said. By the way, the German left thinks that THIS is the issue that will change everything for them, so they are jumping into the boat with both feet. That is why they are saying such stupid stuff. Ah... who am I kidding... more power to them if they can really find a different way. I don't think they can though. And they certainly should not lie to people.

As long as The Boomer Generation continues to sell out their ideals and ethics for a cheap or not so cheap latte, then really why thing anything will change?

think haha

@Warnerbro: Spot on.