Also, nuclear decommissioning costs and taxpayer assumed insurance for catastrophic events have NOT been factored into the cost of nuclear. - Yosh Schmenge

Yosh, at present US utilities collect 0.1 to 0.2 cents/kWh to fund decommissioning. This funding is probably excessive since US reactors are now going through processes that extend their lives to 60 years, and research is underway aimed at extending their lives to 80 years. In the near term at least, it is probably cheaper to recondition old reactors to extend their lives than to replace them with new reactors. As for insurance, new reactor designs are extremely safe. The GE ESBWR will suffer a core meltdown once in every 29 million years of operation. If that once in every 29 million years accident takes place, safety back ups that are far superior to those in the Three Mile Island Reactor are in place. If you will recall, the Three Mile Island Reactor accident did not cause any deaths or injuries, and was not linked to any illnesses. In a rational world reactors should be insurable for catastrophic losses, and the premiums should not be expensive. If Insurance companies do not wish to offer risk coverage at a cost that is based on rational risk assessment, then it is in the interest of the government that insurance coverage be offered. Who ever offers insurance should have the right to charge a reasonable premium based on risk. The insurance premium would not be large in any case.