
US gives first-ever OK for small commercial nuclear reactor - starkd
https://apnews.com/910766c07afd96fbe2bd875e16087464?
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Communitivity
Because this can't possibly end badly - letting nuclear reactors be operated
by a nuclear power cooperative whose founder created the company as part of a
Ponzi scheme [1]. Idaho is a beautiful state with awesome people, but if I
lived there right now I'd move. All it will take is a few cut corners on
training or parts [2] to cause something similar to Three-Mile island.

In fairness there are currently 96 nuclear reactors operating in the U.S. The
average age of these reactors is 38 years old. And there have only been 13
nuclear incidents during that time, that we know about, resulting in 7 dead
total. That however is 7 dead directly. A number of people who got Cancer
around Three Mile Island attribute it to the incident, so that death toll
could be much higher, or it could be accurate - we don't have the means to
verify it at this point.

However, this permit allows them to build 12 reactors, with no history of
operating a reactor safely AFAIK. Also, these reactors are a new type, smaller
and modular, which may mean they are less risk but also means they are more of
an unknown.

In my opinion this is an insane risk.

[1]
[http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/59407581/nuscale-...](http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/59407581/nuscale-
cuts-back-as-feds-sue-funder)

[2] [https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-
and...](https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-
security/safety-of-plants/three-mile-island-
accident.aspx#:~:text=In%201979%20at%20Three%20Mile,background%20levels%20to%20local%20residents).

~~~
renewiltord
Eh? The founder of NuScale did not create the company as a Ponzi scheme. The
_two_ founders _raised money_ from a guy who was running a Ponzi scheme.

NuScale founded by Paul Lorenzini + Jose Reyes

Michael Kenwood Group founded by Francisco Illarramendi

Michael Kenwood Group was managing some half billion dollars and funded and
owned lots of things, among which was NuScale. Of the half billion,
Illarramendi funneled out a tenth into funds he managed for personal value.

I hesitate to speculate but did you, uh, did you read 'funder' as 'founder'
and then construct the remainder of the story around that? Usually when you
raise money you don't get to look at the books of the guy you're raising from,
so how exactly were they supposed to know the guy was busy embezzling?

