The Coming Uranium Crisis

tcd004 writes "MIT reports that the world is running out of fuel for our nuclear reactors due to production limitations and an aging infrastructure. Nuclear power has gained popularity as a carbon-free energy source in recent years, but Dr. Thomas Neff, a research affiliate at MIT's Center for International Studies, warned that fuel scarcity could drive up prices and kill the industry before it gets back on its feet. Passport has pulled together some interesting numbers: there are 440 reactors currently in operation and 82 new plants under construction. The demand for fuel has driven the price of uranium up more than 40% in the last few months — 900% over the last decade. You can follow the spot price for a pound of uranium. "

Comments

Yeah

[voice_of_all_reason]

But they have free Super Saver Shipping, so it balances out.

Re:Yeah

[Anonymous Coward]

No way, we need that plutonium for our flux capacitor research.

Coming Uranium????

[Anonymous Coward]

I guess that's better than Shitting Polenium-210!!!!!

BaDumpDump!!!!

Solution

[FredDC]

1/ Find a country with lots of uranium.
2/ Invade in the name of freedom.
3/ Profit!

Re:Solution

[Rooked_One]

exactly... we can't have these countries with huge uranium deposits just letting them sit there and spawn huge radioactive cochroaches.... I for one welcome our large invertebrea overlords.

Re:Solution

[elrous0]

Don't worry, we're only coming to bring you democracy.

...wait, you do? Already, huh?

Well, in that case, we're just coming for an extended vacation.

Re:Solution

[dattaway]

It's an obvious solution. "In the name of freedom" might be hard to justify, but that's not really stopped the U.S. in recent history.

We are working on that. The RIAA is at work this very minute taking away their freedoms. In about 5 years, Canadians will be begging for their freedom. That's when we move in with our military to protect them. They will be giving up their uranium for free!

Re:Solution

[Gavin Rogers]

You stay away from Australia, now, you hear?

Re:Solution

[eldimo]

You do realize that Canada is the world largest producer of Uranium?

http://www2.nrcan.gc.ca/es/erb/erb/english/View.as p?x=430

Add to the fact that Alberta has more petrol than the rest of the world combined (although embedded in sand), I bet the invasion is not that far....

Re:Solution

[Chris Burke]

Pfft. Canada has burned down the White House once before, we can do it again.

Okay, so you caught us off guard once. We figured you wouldn't be able to use torches because they'd catch your tuques on fire. We won't make the same mistake again.

And don't try the ol' "Look out behind you! TERRORISTS!" trick, as we've already fallen for that one before too.

Suck on THAT, terrorists!

[elrous0]

God help us. Could the world conceivably face a time in the future when we don't even have enough Uranium left to wipe out the human race? [shudders]

Finally!

[Rob T Firefly]

And they said I was stupid to invest in all this uranium when it was cheap! Now, if I could just stop coughing up blood long enough to take some photos for eBay, I'll be set for life...

We need a +1 Sourcasm mod

[TeXMaster]

Really :D

Re:Breeder reactors

[inviolet]

By the way, has anyone noticed that despite our best efforts nuclear weapons continue to proliferate, as if they have lives of their own?

Not quite. They are proliferating more as if they have half-lives of their own.

*rimshot*

Re:Which is why India's looking at thorium...

[paeanblack]

Yes, that's the problem. Unfortunately I don't see a way to solve it, do you? Plutonium is pretty awesome stuff, and I don't think manufacturing it at 500 places around the world is such a great idea. Nuclear proliferation isn't a technical problem, but it is a problem.

We can solve the problem by designing bigger and better weapons. A century ago, nitroglycerin manufacturing was once an international political issue. Today, we really couldn't care less if some country wants to play with dynamite. Once nuclear weapons no longer instill the greatest fears, the uranium industry can start operating without the detrimental extra-market forces.

That's what we call the "peace dividend" :-/

Re:Which is why India's looking at thorium...

[RabidOverYou]

That will not reduce the scoffing, I assure you.

Re:Inching away?

[nitehawk214]

Inching away

Not me. I'm at a full bore sprint.

I am a bomb technician. If you see me running, try to keep up.

Re:Which is why India's looking at thorium...

[Castar]

Uranium isn't going to drop out of the sky on its own accord...

That's what *you* think.