Sen. Lieberman: We Need To ‘Put The Brakes’ On Building New Nuclear Power Plants

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by Matt Schneider | 5:11 pm, March 13th, 2011

» 28 comments

Independent Senator Joe Lieberman appeared on Face The Nation and told Bob Schieffer that as a result of the horrible events in Japan, it is time to “put the brakes” on development of new nuclear power plants here in the United States. Lieberman wanted to assure Americans that FEMA and other federal agencies are much more prepared for such catastrophes than they were a few years ago, but expressed hesitation to expand a commitment to nuclear power before we learn what happens in Japan.

Lieberman revealed that currently there are 104 nuclear power plants in the United States and that 23 of those followed designs similar to the problematic nuclear power plants in Japan. Although he was a strong supporter of nuclear power in the past, because “it’s domestic, it’s ours and it’s clean,” Lieberman believes we shoud move forward cautiously:

“I don’t want to stop the building of nuclear power plants but I think we’ve got to kind of quietly, quickly put the brakes on until we can absorb what has happened in Japan as a result of the earthquake and the tsunami and then see what more, if anything, we can demand of the new power plants that are coming on line.”

Such a position clearly puts him at odds with some commentators who argue that more nuclear reactors are needed, and even has him disagreeing with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer who is “still willing to look at nuclear energy.”

Watch the clip from CBS below:

cbs, Face the Nation, Joe Lieberman, nuclear power plants

murf

Reactionary.
Atticus Draco

murf said:
Reactionary.

YAY,, more government sponsored wind turbines!!
http://www.libertarianism.com/ Jack Burns

Sen. Joe Lieberman: We Need To ‘Put The Brakes’ On Building New Nuclear Power Plants”

We are still building Nuclear Power Plants??? News to me. I thought we stopped in 1997
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

Atticus Draco said:
YAY,, more government sponsored wind turbines!!

You do know that nuclear power plants are so dangerous that no private company will insure them?
It is done by the government, aka you, Mr. Taxpayer.
Atticus Draco

Jack Burns said:
Sen. Joe Lieberman: We Need To ‘Put The Brakes’ On Building New Nuclear Power Plants”

We are still building Nuclear Power Plants??? News to me. I thought we stopped in 1997

lol,,, i say we got some Japanese over here most tick,,
AND GET TO BUILDING!!

Their island was knocked off its original position 8 feet man!!!
they’ve convinced me,,
they know how to build a nuclear power plant!!!!!!!!
what the hell are we waiting on?!?!?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

Jack Burns said:
I thought we stopped in 1997

No new nuclear power plant has been licensed since Three Mile Island went south in 1979.
Pablo

Joseph Glackin said:
You do know that nuclear power plants are so dangerous that no private company will insure them?
It is done by the government, aka you, Mr. Taxpayer.

Wrong.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

Pablo said:

Wrong.

Prove it.
http://www.libertarianism.com/ Jack Burns

Joseph Glackin said:
No new nuclear power plant has been licensed since Three Mile Island went south in 1979.

Okay I must have the numbers mixed up LOL
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

Look up the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industry Indemnity Act.
Davo

Democrits have done an amazing job of stopping our manufacturing industry, putting our health care on life support, and killing the strongest economy in our nation’s history,. But how can even Democrits “put the brakes on” something that’s been dead for 30 years?
http://www.libertarianism.com/ Jack Burns

Joseph Glackin said:
No new nuclear power plant has been licensed since Three Mile Island went south in 1979.

Ok I did some research. As far as I know the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant was completed in 1996

http://www.tva.com/sites/wattsbarnuc.htm and construction is under way to complete TVA’s seventh nuclear unit, Watts Bar Nuclear Plant’s Unit 2, by 2013. So I guess we are still building them…
felixw

I don’t see how can put the brakes no nuclear any more than we have. Wasn’t the last nuclear reactor built in the US back in 1977?
illusive man

felixw said:
I don’t see how can put the brakes no nuclear any more than we have. ?

You ask that question as if you think Liberman know’s what he is talking about.
timzank

Joseph Glackin said:
You do know that nuclear power plants are so dangerous that no private company will insure them?It is done by the government, aka you, Mr. Taxpayer.

You are a fricking idiot. Do you think oil,gas,electric,coal just call State Farm? Did you see BP call their claims adjuster from Farmers in the gulf? Companies of “size” are self insured, and companies providing power to infrastructure are legislatively “insulated” from liability.
timzank

Davo said:
Democrits have done an amazing job of stopping our manufacturing industry, putting our health care on life support, and killing the strongest economy in our nation’s history,. But how can even Democrits “put the brakes on” something that’s been dead for 30 years?

Heh, they just want to at least be on record for killing it too, even if it’s already dead. If it’s good for America, it’s bad for Democrats and of course vice-versa!

None of ‘em happy until they hear “please form the line to the left to pick up your cheese” in every city. It’s a lofty goal but they’re making strides!!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

timzank said:
You are a fricking idiot. Do you think oil,gas,electric,coal just call State Farm? Did you see BP call their claims adjuster from Farmers in the gulf? Companies of “size” are self insured, and companies providing power to infrastructure are legislatively “insulated” from liability.

LOOK UP THE PRICE-ANDERSON NUCLEAR INDUSTRY INDEMNITY ACT!
Clear enough for you, Binky?
eingriff

Have a nice retirement, Joe.
timzank

Joseph Glackin said:
LOOK UP THE PRICE-ANDERSON NUCLEAR INDUSTRY INDEMNITY ACT!Clear enough for you, Binky?

Not looking it up, life is short, you are wrong, move on.

By the way, what (if any) was your point? Most insurance companies won’t insure skydivers either, so what?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Joseph-Glackin/100000892011713 Joseph Glackin

timzank said:
Not looking it up, life is short, you are wrong, move on.

By the way, what (if any) was your point? Most insurance companies won’t insure skydivers either, so what?

If ignorance is bliss, you’re the happiest clam on the beach. And proud of it.
Insurers won’t cover skydivers? Are skydivers asking ME to cover them? The answer is no.
To borrow a line from Orange John the Boner, if the industry goes belly up, “So be it.”
ganymede

What did all those do-gooders and lefties, most of whom were the most ardent anti-nuclear activists, get for their pains. Derision from mostly uninformed unsympathetic people. Until the Japan quake plans were well underfoot in this country to resume building many more nuclear plants. Fortunately, this is now a dead issue. It would be great to see all you smart asses out there really start pushing for alternative sources. if you weren’t so bamboozled by the pro “Drill baby drill” people you would understand that we need the help of the government to develope alternative energy sources since the short-sighted private sector can’t or is unwilling to do it. Many of you seem to be completely caught up in this extreme capitalistic mindset that relegates government to be just the handmaiden of oil companies and awful polluters like the Koch Brothers.
Newt Limbaugh

Joseph Glackin said:
LOOK UP THE PRICE-ANDERSON NUCLEAR INDUSTRY INDEMNITY ACT!
Clear enough for you, Binky?

Just did.

Whoah!

a no fault insurance-type system in which the first approximately $12.6 billion (as of 2011) is industry-funded as described in the Act. Any claims above the $12.6 billion would be covered by a Congressional mandate to retroactively increase nuclear utility liability or would be covered by the federal government.
cyzlinxiang

very good web ===www 1shoe1worth com
Pablo

timzank said:
Not looking it up, life is short, you are wrong, move on.

By the way, what (if any) was your point? Most insurance companies won’t insure skydivers either, so what?

Oh, you don’t have to look it up. You can just go to the link in my 6:19 post and see that the Price-Anderson Nuclear Indemnity Act requires nuclear companies (who are insured up to a certain point) to maintain a fund that would cover catastrophic losses. You’ll find that contrary to our dumbass friend James’ assertion, the taxpayer does not insure nuclear plants.
Pablo

Joseph Glackin said:
ou do know that nuclear power plants are so dangerous that no private company will insure them?
It is done by the government, aka you, Mr. Taxpayer.

Nope, still wrong.

Power reactor licensees are required by the act to obtain the maximum amount of insurance against nuclear related incidents which is available in the insurance market (as of 2011[update], $375 million per plant). Any monetary claims that fall within this maximum amount are paid by the insurer(s). The Price-Anderson fund, which is financed by the reactor companies themselves, is then used to make up the difference. Each reactor company is obliged to contribute up to $111.9 million per reactor in the event of an accident with claims that exceed the $375 million insurance limit. As of 2011[update], the maximum amount of the fund is approximately $12.22 billion ($111.9m X 104 reactors) if all of the reactor companies were required to pay their full obligation to the fund. This fund is not paid into unless an accident occurs. However, fund administrators are required to have contingency plans in place to raise funds using loans to the fund, so that claimants may be paid as soon as possible. Actual payments by companies in the event of an accident are capped at $17.5 million per year until either a claim has been met, or their maximum individual liability (the $111.9 million maximum) has been reached. [2] [3]
Nachi

Umm. Perhaps Little Joe & his pet, McShame, could take us on another Iraq shopping trip, & we could forget all our cares.
Arkansas Steve

MATT, I think your headline was misleading.
Although Lieberman did not give an estimated time to delay, he clearly said “until we better understand what happened in Japan”. Your headline had me thinking he was trying to wait for years, but I think he is thinking single digit months.
hgarner2000

I agree with Senator Lieberman on this one. While we’re at it, let’s do something about the old nuclear power plants before building new ones.