
Trump-appointed regulators reject plan to rescue coal and nuclear plants - fmihaila
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/08/trump-appointed-regulators-reject-plan-to-rescue-coal-and-nuclear-plants/?hpid=hp_no-name_no-name%3Apage%2Fbreaking-news-bar&tidr=a_breakingnews&utm_term=.ed1edbed6973
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philipkglass
This is a relief to hear.

I personally would be happier if there were national incentives to keep
nuclear plants and _not_ coal operating as long as safely possible. Even
completed, operating nuclear plants are losing money in competitive markets
where gas generation has made big inroads. Nuclear has a much lower emissions
profile than gas generation, comparable to the lowest-emission renewable
sources. Some states like Illinois and New York have made efforts to support
nuclear for that reason.

Today's reactors will have to retire eventually, but while we're still burning
coal in power plants it's a shame to retire them any earlier than technically
necessary. Decarbonization will go better if renewables are nibbling away at
fossil generation share and not being responsible to fill the hole left by
prematurely retired reactors too.

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lurr
> I personally would be happier if there were national incentives to keep
> nuclear plants and not coal operating as long as safely possible

Why? I get coal, but why not operate the nuclear plants if they are already
running?

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jcranmer
I think you're misreading. GP is saying that plans to keep nuclear plants
operating are good but plans to keep coal operating are not.

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philipkglass
Correct.

