Despite the top sell by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Poland has announced it is postponing the construction of two nuclear reactors because of domestic shale gas development, according to NHK.
Just recently (June 10, 2013), the US Energy Information Administration released a report detailing the shale oil and shale gas resources in the world. Looking at the map below, not just Poland but the entire central Europe all the way down to Turkey doesn't seem to need nuclear power as long as they can develop their shale oil/gas resources. No nuclear needs in three Baltic nations either.
Puff... goes Abe's dream of "growth strategy" by exporting Japan's nuclear power plants...
(Click to enlarge)
From the same US EIA report,
30-Day free trial by following the link.
Tokyo Time
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10 comments:
Not sure that 'technically recoverable' is a good measure of a resource, other than giving an upper bound.
The economic, environmental and social costs must also be considered. Also there is along lead time to set up the extraction process on the scale necessary to be relevant.
My guess is that Mr Abe's marketing effort will not be much slowed by this data.
Humm, netudiant can't take a "no thanks, not now" for an answer, even if it comes from a prime minister... Let's try again: "we decided to close down the plant because it is cheaper to buy electricity on the market" -- who said this? Hint: an american utility.
Please, my comment simply noted that the process of setting up a natural gas recovery and distribution infrastructure is neither cheap nor quick. While that was outside the scope of this study, it must be taken into account before any investments are made.
Separately, the US currently has 10+ year low natural gas prices because unexpected extra supply from fracking has come into an established market and distribution system. Development costs in virgin territories such as the EIA outlines would be rather higher.
Lastly, afaik, the plant getting shut because it would be cheaper to buy power is San Onofre,
which needs an expensive repair to return to operation but only has 9 years left in its license, with no great certitude of extensions.
Their decision was rational for their circumstances, but may not reflect realities elsewhere.
netudiant,
come on, don't be shy, why do you limit yourself to San Onofre? is this the only npp that has been closed down for economical reasons in recent times?
Besides, what do you think would happen if the US goverment started charging the utilities for the "permanent" storage of the "spent" fuel until it becomes disposable with the same level of risk as other industrial waste? How many npps would then close for economical reasons?
The US has a long history of making waste-land with exhausting technologies, and go elsewhere when the land is dead. This is not a worldwide sustainable practice.
Fracking has proved to be very disturbing and polluting in some places. Unless it is done in desert lands doomed to be left with polluted waters and unstable grounds, it could be considered OK. But not everywhere on this map, sorry.
And please don't give in the new name of "massaging" the shale gas as it is pure lip service, you know, worth the BS and T(otal)BS quoted a few posts earlier.
Anon above, maybe you are taking "fracking pollutes" story headlines too literally, just like Matt Damon did.
Anon @9:55PM, what is a sustainable practice? Solar panels made by Chinese that irreparably pollute the farmlands as the companies dump the waste water? Wind turbines that cause nearby residents to be sick and kill birds?
There's absolutely no need to taunt other commenters either, just because you disagree.
@12:22 How about "Nuclear plants that irreparably pollute the farmlands (and the ocean) as Tepco dumps waste water"?
Since netudiant appears hesitating at mentioning npps closed down for economical reasons I will suggest Kewaunee and Cristal River. Also, GE refrained from bidding for Indian npps because it was not granted a liability waiver: this fact alone tells you how economically viable nuclear energy is... if someone else pays the bill via externalizations.
Note also that utilities are not choosing to mothball npps, while waiting for more favourable times, but rather proceed to decommission them. Luckily fossil plants do not have this limitation and, after 2011 earthquake in Japan, several old fossil fuel plants could be put back online in a matter of months covering for the loss of Fukushima Daiichi, Daini and Tokai.
Anon 8:33AM, you still haven't answered my question. What is a sustainable practice?
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