Las ventajas de la energía nuclear

Gary Becker, premio Nóbel de economía con bitácora y todo, escribe sobre por qué debemos parar de preocuparnos y amar el átomo:

(...) Nuclear power has several other advantages over plants powered by fossil fuels. Uranium is abundant, easily transported, and efficient in producing energy. One kilogram of natural uranium will yield about 20,000 times as much energy as the same quantity of coal. Nuclear plants would reduce American dependence on imports of natural gas and oil. To the extent there is concern about running out of fossil fuels- a concern that I believe is greatly exaggerated- nuclear generation of electricity becomes even more attractive.

Whereas coal, oil, and even natural gas power plants emit substantial quantities of CO2, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other pollutants per megawatt of electricity generated, nuclear power plants release negligible levels of harmful pollutants. Growing concern about pollution helps propel the expanding interest in nuclear power. The advantage of nuclear power has become more concrete as a result of the Kyoto Agreement that requires signatories to cut back substantially on their emissions of CO2. The EU and Japan are already enforcing such cutbacks, and the United States is under continual pressure also to reduce CO2 emissions, even though it did not sign this Agreement.(....)

Echadle un ojo. Becker también responde a las críticas hechas contra esta forma de energía, como la seguridad (en 50 años, ningún país desarrollado ha tenido un accidente con víctimas) o los residuos (que pueden ser reciclados). En febrero critiqué a los luditas del gobierno ZP por querer cerrar las nucleares. A ver si se les pasa.