The True Cost of Nuclear Energy - Greenpeace

The True Cost of Nuclear Energy
Our new report highlights once again that nuclear power is a dead-end: it would lock the country into an out-dated, expensive and deadly energy future.
Feature story - August 4, 2011

In our new report “True Cost of Nuclear Power in South Africa”, presented to the Department of Energy today, we expose the significant social and economic impacts of the country’s nuclear program in the past, and highlight the benefits of a nuclear-free future.

...Greenpeace urges the Minister of Energy to reconsider the role of nuclear energy in South Africa and put a moratorium on any new nuclear reactors at least until the safety implications of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan have been fully evaluated. Rather than investing in dangerous energy technologies, our country should opt for clean energy options.

The True Cost of Nuclear report outlines South Africa’s costly nuclear history, its failure to learn from past mistakes, and how the country could leave dirty and dangerous energy behind by investing in renewables. To achieve a nuclear-free South Africa, whilst still reducing the country’s dependency on coal, the electricity sector needs to be the pioneer of renewable energy utilisation. According to our Advanced Energy evolution, 49% of electricity can be produced from renewable sources by 2030, increasing to 94% by 2050.

“Nuclear energy is a dangerous distraction from the clean energy development needed to prevent catastrophic climate change. Nuclear power simply delivers too little, too late, and at too high a price for the environment,” said Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International....

http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/News/news/The-True-Cost-of-Nuclear-Energy/

Download report:
http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/Global/africa/publications/The%20true%20cost%20of%20Nuclear%20Power%20in%20SA-Screen.pdf

What a mistake.
It's another example of how nuclear hype slows down progress on clean energy.
They wasted their time with the PBMR when they should have been moving ahead on renewables.

Link to report in OP.