No study of nuclear power should start with the assumption that "nuclear power is a safe, reliable, cost-effective and carbon-free source of electricity", as SB 5991 does. This study should examine the full life cycle of nuclear plants, including costs of waste storage and worst-case accident scenarios.
Why is this important?
Nuclear power is inherently risky, as evidenced by the 2011 triple meltdowns in Japan. The waste storage dilemma has not been solved. New small modular designs tout themselves as "self-contained" but will produce nuclear waste that needs storage for thousands of years, making them anything but self-contained. The exorbitant cost of nuclear was painfully shown in the WPPSS bond defaults, which we are still paying for.
