Welcome to the inaugural Nuclear Reaction Awards 2008. As the year comes to its close we’d like to recognise those who have help make the nuclear industry the over-subsidised and under-scrutinised joke it is today.
Today’s Award: The Best Nuclear Spin of 2008
As you can probably imagine, we spoilt for choice for candidates for this award. Media stories are packed with nuclear industry insiders and government ministers telling us that nuclear energy is going to save time, money, energy and the planet.
Who can forget Areva’s attempt to convince us that nuclear power looks as easy and appealing as building a LEGO model and can make people in Shanghai bars to fall in love? Or the New York Times spinning the propaganda that EPR reactors are ‘the world’s safest and most powerful’ despite none being in operation and the only two currently under construction being in total disarray? How about South African utility Eskom employing a brand consulting firm to ‘boost’ nuclear’s image and employ prominent "nuclear ambassadors"?
But for sheer jaw-dropping over-optimism and misplaced faith in the nuclear industry’s abilities, the award must surely go to the World Nuclear Association. The organisation’s Nuclear Century Outlook report tried to convince us of a scenario where 10,000 nuclear reactors could be built before the end of the century.
It means that 120 reactors must be built every year. Which is ten reactors every month. Which is one reactor every three days.
We’ve seen some wild claims on behalf of the nuclear industry this year but none came even close to this. World Nuclear Association – we salute you!