I only have a limited understanding of nuclear reactors, but IIUC these would have produced nuclear waste, which we currently don't have any long-term storage plans for. Not having storage plans for this waste (beyond "put it in pools of water near the reactors, or maybe send it to south carolina) suggests to me that nuclear power may not actually be a workable solution. Sorry to sound ignorant, but it seems like building 500 plants would exacerbate that problem dramatically.
Doesn't it seem like solar + batteries is a much better solution? We could cover large parts of the US with solar panels, store it during the day, and charge large fleets of electric cars overnight. Then, the issue is one of non-radioactive toxic waste storage instead of radioactive toxic waste storage, which seems a bit more tractable.
Doesn't it seem like solar + batteries is a much better solution? We could cover large parts of the US with solar panels, store it during the day, and charge large fleets of electric cars overnight. Then, the issue is one of non-radioactive toxic waste storage instead of radioactive toxic waste storage, which seems a bit more tractable.