So we have a report out that shows the subsidies to wind power being four times what would be necessary for nuclear (look down). We also have The Guardian, on the same day, running extracts from a book about the effects of Chernobyl. Mmmh Hmm.
Yes, the stories are harrowing, yes, some did undoubtedly die horrible deaths as a result of that accident. But the important question, once one gets past the individual tragedies, is how many? Further, how many would have died from energy generation by other means? It’s a well known fact that coal kills more every year than the entire nuclear industry ever has. That burning coal releases more radioactivity every year (via thorium) than the entire nuclear industry ever has.
If you actually want to see the official numbers on how many died as a result of Chernobyl they are gathered here.
If someone wants to try and point out that wind power would not cause such deaths, that is entirely their right. But I do want to see the estimates of deaths that will be caused in construction and maintenance over the years, preferably referenced by MW or GW of power production. Only then can we actually see whether nuclear is more or less dangerous than wind.
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