As the second Atomic Age begins here in the United States, there are going to be a lot of conversations going on. I hope that more of them reach the quality of the one that has started in response to an article titled Nuke Plant Confirmed on the Argus Observer out of Ontario, Oregon.
There are going to be plenty of people with valid concerns about the effects of the plant construction and operation on their local communities and personal property. It is incumbent on the project developers to be open and honest – large industrial projects do have a negative effect on some people even if the overall benefits of the plant outputs may be judged by others to be positive.
I also think that nukes like the readers of Atomic Insights share in the responsibility to help answer the legitimate questions – the plant developers will always have a little bit of a credibility challenge, no matter how forthcoming they are. Not only that, but the plant developers will have an understandable need to be reticent about certain details regarding their project.
After all, a construction project that will require lots of local raw material, road construction, labor, and legal approvals is going to provide opportunities for speculators. A project that can change the balance between supply and demand for a vital commodity like electricity is also going to attract the interest of existing and potential competitors.
