But it pays for itself!

The idea of neighborhood or village sized atomic power plants is not new, however.

The US Army had an extensive program of building, testing and operating small nuclear power plants in remote locations very close to people during the late 1950s through the early 1970s. They built reactors that operated in Greenland, Alaska, Antarctica and even just outside the Washington, DC area at Ft. Belvoir. One of the Army reactors, the ML-1 was designed for airlift movement to remote communications stations – that plant produced 200 kw of electrical power. (Google ML-1 to learn more.)

Since most individual homes use less than 10 kw at peak and have average demand of under 2 kw, a 200 kw electric power plant can supply the needs of 20-40 American homes. It can also supply a small factory or a large department store. If it operates at 80% capacity factor, it can produce 1.4 million kilowatt-hours per year. In some parts of the US, the value of that production would be on the order of $250-400,000. In addition, there would be heat available as a natural by-product that would have some value.

My company – Adams Atomic Engines, Inc. has been working on simplified atomic fission power generators for about 15 years. We happen to be focused on a market where the power demands are a bit larger than 200 kw, but we have not ruled out the possibility of smaller machines that the ones that we plan to introduce within the next 5-7 years.

As John Wheeler pointed out, the challenge is not the technology. Nuclear fission is well understood and pretty amazing stuff. There are already submarine power plants that come complete with a 33 year fuel supply – just imagine how great it would be to be able to invest in such a power system for your town. No more worries about your carbon footprint or your vulnerability to weather, coal mine collapses or oil spills.

Aside – if John Dvorak would ask his buddy Adam Curry about backyard nukes, he might find out some interesting tidbits about the potential for the technology. Alternatively, you could simply Google “backyard nukes”

BTW: I am an engineer and a former nuclear plant reactor operator (Plant Engineer qualified on a Navy Reactor, and held a US NRC Senior Reactor Operator licenses on two commercial reactors).

True, one person can pick up and hold a RPG launcher, but as has been stated, I don’t think that even the most radical gun groups advocate the private possession of such “destructive devices”.

You both need to grow up. Oh, and yea, I have an opinion on your subject, but I’m not going to go blasting it out to people who don’t want to hear it.

I think you both should go get blogs of your own.

BTW, if heavy weapons in private hands are such a problem, then why weren’t there problems back before 1968 when the feds outlawed people buying heavy weapons without any sort of government permission? The only limitation the Post Office put on shipping guns or ammo (normal type) was related to size and weight.

Your question DOES NOT further your position except against an argument no one makes.

I want hollow-point bullets in a handgun, because the police CANNOT protect me in my home, and because home defense is a reasonable use of my right to bear arms. I want the same for my neighbor, because I do not want him to be forced to depend on the police, and I don’t want his stray bullets to pass through his house and into mine.

I’m not worried that my neighbor will be careless with his gun, any more than I am worried that he will be careless with the gas main or the electricity in his house or on the poles along our shared street or his car. Any of those dangers might cause him or me harm, granted. We simply accept that level of dangerousness in our fellow man, because otherwise we cannot associate with each other Humans are intrinsically dangerous, now and always.

I also think assault weapons are reasonable under the 2d amendment. And highly accurate scopes on long range heavy rifles, single shot or not. It’s not intrinsically dangerous to allow private ownership of assault weapons. Just look at the Swiss: http://www.guncite.com/swissgun.html

I do not think a mortar is proper under the 2d amendment. Or land mines or other booby traps. Or flame throwers, or biological weapons, or high explosives, or ballistic missiles, or depleted uranium ammunition.

The issue is and HAS BEEN what is reasonable under the 2d amendment. No one, including the NRA, is seeking to legalize private possession of surface-to-air missiles.

btw, I faulted your argument, not you- I’m sure you’re a very thoughtful person. And I do laugh but also seriously appreciate the clarity you provide by separating yourself from the ‘right to bear arms’ crowd.

http://advancednano.blogspot.com/2007/12/micro-and-small-nuclear-reactors.html

This reactor is a small-scale design developed by Toshiba Corporation in cooperation with Japan’s Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) and funded by the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI).

It is the 5 MWt, 200 kWe Rapid-L, using lithium-6 (a liquid neutron poison) as a control medium. It would have 2700 fuel pins of 40-50% enriched uranium nitride with 2600°C melting point integrated into a disposable cartridge. The reactivity control system is passive, using lithium expansion modules (LEM) which give burnup compensation, partial load operation as well as negative reactivity feedback. As the reactor temperature rises, the lithium expands into the core, displacing an inert gas. Other kinds of lithium modules, also integrated into the fuel cartridge, shut down and start up the nuclear reactor. Cooling is by molten sodium, and with the LEM control system, reactor power is proportional to primary coolant flow rate. Refuelling would be every 10 years in an inert gas environment. Operation would require no skill, due to the inherent safety design features. The whole plant would be about 6.5 meters high and 2 meters in diameter.

This information is from Hore-Lacy, Ian (Lead Author); Cutler J. Cleveland (Topic Editor). 2006. “Small nuclear power reactors.” In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [Published in the Encyclopedia of Earth September 4, 2006; Retrieved December 19, 2007].

It is not the same as the toshiba 4s reactor which has 50 times higher generation capacity.

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Small_nuclear_power_reactors#Liquid_Metal_cooled_Fast_Reactors

I’m not clear how my question makes me thoughtless. Track with me, here:

The gun lobby claims that the Second Amendment grants an ABSOLUTE right to bear arms.

If it’s so absolute, how come I can’t have the nuke I’ve been building in my basement? [KIDDING CIA! I'm really a pacifist!]

If we can agree that the Second Amendment is NOT
ABSOLUTE and some arms can be limited, then the discussion is where the limits are. Not the constitutionality of limits.

I say we should put the limits at long barrel, single-shot hunting weapons. Everything more lethal needs a special permit.

‘right to bear arm’ crowd = supporters of the constitution of the US.

You rock.

BTW, there are limits on all of our other ‘rights’, incl. speech, free assembly, voting, etc. Your claim that the 2d amendment begs an argument ad absurdem and is therefore somehow nonexistent or bad is just thoughtless.