PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 1, 2022
In his Dec. 28 Maine Voices column, Richard Bedard advocates for nuclear energy, stating that “a realistic look” at electricity needs leads to nuclear power. In fact, a realistic look at nuclear power requires dealing with the problem of nuclear waste. Currently, 542 metric tons of nuclear waste are still on site at Maine Yankee, costing $10 million per year to store safely. Across the U.S., 86,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel waste await safe disposal, and that number continues to grow. The government has no policy for the safe disposal of this mountain of waste. The cost of storing the existing waste is $500 million per year. Before building another nuclear power plant, advocates should prove that the inevitable nuclear waste can and will be safely and affordably disposed of. ~ Sigrid Olson, Cape Elizabeth