Even the Swiss hate nuclear now

BY JESS ZIMMERMAN
26 MAY 2011 4:05 PM

In the wake of the Fukushima disaster, it seems nobody can stay neutral on nuclear power, not even Switzerland. The country has abandoned plans for new nuclear reactors, and while the five existing reactors will be allowed to keep operating, they won't be replaced.

Nuclear in Switzerland will be entirely phased out by 2034, and officials say the 20-plus year interim will allow them time to develop energy alternatives to take over the significant power Switzerland now gets from nuclear -- 40 percent of the country's total power capacity. Switzerland joins Germany in turning its back on nuclear, though neighbor France is holding fast to the technology.

This all has more to do with cost calculations -- new safety measures will bump the cost of nuclear above that of alternative renewables -- than with safety concerns. After all, if we abandoned every energy source that killed people (which, indeed, it's not clear the Fukushima meltdown has), nobody would use coal or oil. Public opinion just might have something to do with it, too. Switzerland's announcement followed a 20,000-person anti-nuclear rally.

http://www.grist.org/list/2011-05-26-even-the-swiss-hate-nuclear-now

Too expensive and too dangerous plus the industry really doesn't know what to do in the event that something terribly goes wrong. The Russians didn't with Chernobyl, the USA didn't with TMI and the Japanese have no idea as to how to go forward from here with their catastrophe. Grabbing your ass and hoping for the best is not a viable plan.

Rec'd to no avail, still at 0