Big Decision

Deciding to go nuclear is a big move. Once decided there should not be any retraction or it would be difficult to be re-activated in the future. Hence, it is a big decision.
Sufficient preparation must be in-place even for making this decision so that any reaction, hostile or just adverse, can be handled effectively and convincingly. Groups unsympathetic to the cause may take difference posture. Public acceptance, once again, becomes one of the main decisive factors. Fact and figures can persuade the public especially if these can be made to touch the heart and appeal to emotions. After all acceptance is an emotive act.
Comfort level of the public must be raised with respect to the issues of radioactive waste, nuclear safety, and fuel supply assurance and security, among others. Already the thinking public is questioning about the availability of fuel to supply the 'nuclear renaissance.'
Also, 'nuclear renaissance' should not just be manifested in the numbers of nuclear power reactors being put to grid, constructed, or planned, but also in other aspects of nuclear electricity generation. Waste, safety, proliferation, and access to technology as well as sufficient level of self-dependency must be considered and explained to the general public, especially the voting public.

Bulk Power

Talk about powering industrial plants, the massive electricity guzzler like steel mills, smelters, magnetic levitation trains and all of their kinds, can renewable energy like solar, wind, and waves deliver their needs? Probably not. Bulk, consistent, and continuously available power generating plant, like nuclear plant, is the answer.
Yes, all electricity is alike. The one supplied by solar can equally run the TV sets as electricity generated by a nuclear power plant. The appliances or users do not know what plant generates the electricity, and they don't have to. But we ought to segment the end-users and end-use of electricity so that we can come up with what would be a good mix or composition. Bulk power generated by central power plants for industrial uses and renewable energy for 'soft' users such as office buildings and households.
Not a single energy source can supply total global needs alone, but each can handle specific requirements. That is what balancing the energy mix is all about.

Backburner

Election is just around the corner. The parliament was dissolved last Wednesday, 13 Feb, and voting is scheduled to be on Saturday, 8 March. Until the new government is set-up and installed, the nuclear power/ energy question perhaps will for a while take the backseat...