Tag Archives: nuclear power

The Globe is wrong on nuclear power

The Boston Globe has recently been throwing its editorial weight behind nuclear power. It laments the scheduled closing of Pilgrim in June, claiming that the only serious response to climate change is nuclear power. In encouraging a renaissance in this moribund industry it joins the strange bedfellow of president Trump, who enthusiastically supports both nuclear […]

Nuclear power: what a mess.

What a mess. Nuclear power was once touted as miracle of the future which would provide virtually free electricity. A nuclear power plant’s smokestack-less, clean profile was the very image of the sexy future. The world rushed to embrace it. 60 years later, sadder-but-wiser, we know that nuclear power has inherent flaws as a technology. […]

Pilgrim shutdown and the real role of the NRC

Today’s big front page story suggests that the shutdown of Pilgrim may be imminent now that this antiquated plant has fallen to worst-in-nation status. This is heartening new to the great majority of Cape Codders who want to see the end this upwind threat defused at long last. But any celebrating would be premature. Governor […]

Nuclear power is dead

The most compelling argument for closing Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant for those off us nearby and downwind is that it should never have been built there in the first place with “no escape from the Cape” (and none imaginable). Although the worst case scenario is unlikely, the consequences are so devastating and terminal, it seems […]

Hiroshima and Pilgrim: rational fear

It’s debatable whether the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, horror though it was, was justifiable as the most life-sparing (at least for Americans) way of forcing Japan to surrender. But one thing is clear– that debut of nuclear power has proved a hard act to follow. The powers-that-be tried hard to erase that initial […]

Nukes and tourism

Have nuclear power plants have begun to have an effect on tourism? I’m not just talking about Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, or Fukushima; I’m not aware that any of them were big tourist destinations even before their disasters. My wife and I have spent time in France for many years. I’ve always loved the French […]

Oil spills and nuclear meltdowns are not accidents

On the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, along with a review of the still ongoing longterm effects, it was asked: what did we learn from this accident? Not enough, apparently. Spills continue; the huge 2010 BP spill is still fresh in mind. At what point do you begin to see these catastrophes […]

Hanford mill to Pilgrim: rethinking progress [ op ed Cape Cod Times 1 October 2013]

For a week in early summer, when the world was making its way to the mecca of Cape Cod, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere, the lush folds of farmland west of the Catskills. Our host said, “You’ve got to see the Hanford mill” and took us to downtown East Meredith, NY, to […]

Pilgrim: what will it take? [op ed Cape Cod Times 6 August 2013]

In a democracy we are encouraged to believe that the will of the people should carry the day. That’s the idea anyway. But as we know, it often doesn’t seem to work out that way.   For instance, the Pilgrim nuclear power plant. It would seem that a substantial majority of Cape Codders would like […]

The logic of fearing Pilgrim [op-ed CCT 28 May 2013]

The movement to shut down Pilgrim nuclear power plant seems finally to be taking off. All 14 of the towns who have voted on it have voted to that effect. A poll shows a great majority of us afraid of Pilgrim. The May 19th demonstration in Plymouth was the largest so far.   If ever […]