Facts don't affirm popular belief

Many people are again presenting nuclear power as a solution to the world's energy demands because of the constraints associated with coal and the fear of oil prices shooting through the roof, and because the reality of global warming has started to hit home.

But can nuclear power provide what we are all looking for: a reliable, affordable, sustainable, secure and now low-carbon source of electricity?

When the full nuclear fuel cycle is considered - not only reactors but also uranium mines and mills, enrichment facilities, spent fuel repositories and decommissioning sites - nuclear power proves to be one of the costliest sources of energy. Nuclear plants are capital intensive and the high capital costs result in higher charges by electricity generators. This either ends up with high costs for customers, or significant government funds being expended on subsidies, or both.