The Economics of Nuclear Power Programmes in the United Kingdom

## THE ECONOMICS OF NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMMES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM Traditionally, decisions concerning investment in electricity-generating plant in the UK have been based on an evaluation of the direct costs involved, namely capital and operating costs. Examination of many of the wider-ranging impacts such as environmental implications and possible health effects have often been given somewhat less emphasis within the decision-making process. This book attempts to correct this imbalance by integrating estimates of various indirect costs associated with the operation of both coal-fired and nuclear-power generating capacity into a social cost analysis. Moreover, in an attempt to facilitate informed discussion ofsome ofthe more important issues relevant to the nuclear-power debate, this book also provides an interdisciplinary overview of several areas of legitimate public concern. In this respect, particular attention is paid to the technology involved in nuclear-reactor operation, the nature and development ofthe uranium market, the 'economics' ofthe reprocessing option, and the environmental impact of radioactive emissions from nuclear-power plant. It should be stressed that the author does not adopt either a pro-or antinuclear standpoint, but rat her attempts to provide a means to raise the nuclear debate from an emotional to a more informed level. Front Matter....Pages i-xix Introduction....Pages 1-3 Nuclear Power Technology....Pages 4-27 The Uranium Market....Pages 28-45 The Economics of Nuclear-fuel Reprocessing: A Case Study of the Windscale THORP Plant....Pages 46-74 Radioactive Waste....Pages 75-98 Social Cost Analysis of Coal and Nuclear Generating Plant....Pages 99-151 Concluding Remarks....Pages 152-153 Back Matter....Pages 154-168