Hurricane Earl... and Floating Nuclear Power Plants

by Karl Grossman

Published on Thursday, September 2, 2010 by CommonDreams.org

It was supposed to happen off the U.S. East Coast and was scuttled because of skyrocketing costs, public opposition and a lack of need. But the concept of floating nuclear power plants is back. Russia, copying the U.S. plan, recently launched the first of what it says will be many floating nuclear plants that it will moor off its coastline and sell to nations around the world.

Consider, with Hurricane Earl now moving up the East Coast, the situation if floating nuclear power plants were, as planned, moored off the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Consider the Russia program in terms of accident consequences-the plants are being called "floating Chernobyls"-and as a terrorist issue. The fuel the plants are to use is weapons-grade uranium. Nations which Russia's state nuclear corporation has been talking to about buying the plants include Malaysia, Algeria and Indonesia.