DOE's Office of Environmental Management Provides Piketon Update

PIKETON, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Ohio EPA, and Ohio Department of Health released their latest update this week on the ongoing cleanup of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant—but beneath the bureaucratic talking points lies a toxic truth: the site remains one of Ohio’s most contaminated, and most dangerous, nuclear legacies.

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THE PIKETON DECEPTION: HOW A NUCLEAR PLANT'S "ASSESSMENT" IGNORES A TOXIC LEGACY AND ENDANGERS OHIO

Introduction: A License to Pollute? The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stands poised to approve a significant license amendment for American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO). This amendment, outlined in the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the American Centrifuge Plant (ACP) in Piketon, Ohio, would extend the High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) demonstration cascade operation until June 30, 2034, and substantially increase its uranium hexafluoride (UF6) possession limit. The EA, issued by the NRC's Environmental Center of Expertise, concludes with a "Finding of No Significant Impact" (FONSI), asserting that the proposed action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. This conclusion is based on the premise that the project involves no new construction, no increase in production rates, and its impacts are merely an extension of "previously assessed impacts".

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Israeli Strikes on Iran Nuclear Sites Raise Fears of Civilian Fallout

On June 13, 2025, military actions were initiated against Iran's nuclear and related infrastructure. The primary nuclear facility confirmed to have been impacted was Iran's main uranium enrichment site at Natanz, where reports indicated damage to underground structures. While initial assessments by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no immediate increase in nuclear radiation, the inherent risks associated with such attacks are profound and unacceptable.

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Centrus pushes to import more foreign uranium to Ohio

PIKETON, Ohio — American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO), a Centrus Energy subsidiary, has filed a request with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to allow uranium feedstock sourced from foreign suppliers at its Piketon enrichment facility. The move comes after the Department of Energy granted Centrus a waiver in July 2024 that permits imports of low-enriched uranium (LEU) from Russia for deliveries through 2025.

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Dosimetry Cover-ups at Former Ohio Nuclear Facility

A class-action lawsuit, Walburn et al. v. Centrus Energy Corp. et al., filed in September 2020, brought to light extensive allegations of a decades-long pattern of corruption, dosimetry manipulation, and environmental contamination at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) in Piketon, Ohio. While this specific lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiffs on November 11, 2021, and officially terminated on November 17, 2021, its allegations remain a critical part of the historical record regarding PORTS and the broader challenges of accountability in the nuclear industry. The lawsuit claimed that plant operators, including the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) and various contractors, engaged in a "Nuclear Fraud Enterprise" to conceal the true extent of radiation exposure to workers and the surrounding communities, prioritizing profit and operational goals over public safety.

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Piketon: OEPA June Data Dump

The OEPA data dump reveals that, contrary to assumptions of resolved issues, the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) continues to face significant and ongoing environmental challenges. Critical documents highlight a persistent and unyielding groundwater contamination plume, requiring continuous active intervention through extensive treatment systems and pilot projects for advanced contaminant extraction. This indicates that despite years of effort, the scale and complexity of groundwater remediation remain substantial, suggesting a long-term environmental battle rather than a contained problem.

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Toxic Land Transfers | Blue Hydrogen Dreams on a Nuclear Nightmare

In a chilling move that prioritizes corporate profits over public health, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing forward with land transfers at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a site riddled with a half-century legacy of radioactive and chemical contamination. Despite vociferous warnings from the Ohio EPA and a history of worker exposure and community illnesses, large swathes of this poisoned land are being handed over for a "reindustrialization" scheme, including a controversial "blue hydrogen" project that promises clean energy while overlooking a dirty past.

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Centrus, HALEU, and Ongoing Radiological Discharges

The American Centrifuge Program at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS), operated by American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (a Centrus Energy Corp. subsidiary), continues to discharge radioactive materials into the environment. According to the Q1 2025 Radiological Discharge Monitoring Report, submitted to the Ohio EPA, both Outfall 012 (Southwest Holding Pond) and Outfall 013 (West Holding Pond) show repeated detections of beta emitters, uranium, and in one case, elevated alpha radiation.

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The Hidden Cost of Nuclear Power

For decades, the Piketon Atomic Plant was a key part of the nation's energy infrastructure. This application synthesizes findings from the Pike County Human Health Risk Assessment and legal documents like Walburn v. Centrus Energy Corp. to explore the long-term environmental and human impact on the surrounding community.

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Potential Processing of Radioactive Lumber at Ohio Paper Plant

This report investigates the potential that Pixelle Specialty Solutions’ Chillicothe, Ohio mill may be processing radioactively contaminated lumber sourced from Pike County, a region historically impacted by discharges from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS). PORTS, once central to the U.S. nuclear program, released multiple radionuclides into the environment, including uranium isotopes, neptunium-237, technetium-99, plutonium-239/240, and americium-241. Scientific studies and Department of Energy (DOE) records confirm contamination of soils, vegetation, and water systems in Pike County. With active logging in affected areas, and insufficient radioactive testing in Pixelle's current protocols, there exists a credible risk to product safety, worker health, and the environment. This report assesses contamination pathways, evaluates company practices, and provides recommendations for enhanced detection and response.

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Ohio EPA Flags Gaps in DOE's Cleanup Plans at Piketon

PIKETON, OH – New correspondence from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) reveals significant questions and concerns about the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) plans for managing and demolishing contaminated facilities at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The EPA letters, dated May 30, 2025, highlight potential blind spots in sampling for dangerous chemicals and inadequate monitoring proposals, raising serious alarms for public health and environmental advocates.

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New Nuclear Promise Crumbles: SMRs to Worsen Nation's Nuclear Waste Crisis Amid Rushed Approvals

A recent report from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for 2024 reveals a disturbing acceleration in efforts to usher in a new generation of unproven and potentially hazardous advanced nuclear reactors. This push has been significantly amplified by a May 23rd White House Executive Order from President Donald J. Trump, which explicitly directs the NRC to "reform" its regulations to reduce barriers and rapidly promote nuclear power. These aggressive moves come despite critical new research, published in May 2022 by Stanford and the University of British Columbia, revealing that the much-touted small modular reactors (SMRs) will actually exacerbate the nation's already dire nuclear waste crisis.

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Nuclear Roulette: NRC Greenlights NuScale's 77 MWe Reactor Amid Mounting Concerns, Ignoring Red Flags

WASHINGTON D.C. – In a move that prioritizes industry profits and unproven technology over public safety, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has rubber-stamped NuScale Power's 77 megawatt-electric (MWe) small modular reactor (SMR) design. Hailed by its corporate proponents as a "leap toward clean energy," this decision by the NRC is a chilling confirmation of a dangerous trend: fast-tracking nuclear expansion at any cost, regardless of mounting safety, economic, and environmental concerns.

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Perry Nuclear Plant's 2024 Report Reveals Persistent Radioactive Contamination and Regulatory Loopholes

PERRY, OH – Despite official assurances of safety and compliance, a detailed analysis of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant's 2024 Annual Radioactive Effluent Release Report, obtained by the Ohio Atomic Press, paints a concerning picture of continuous radioactive discharges into Lake Erie and the surrounding atmosphere. The report, ostensibly a routine regulatory filing, reveals not just the presence, but the pervasive nature of radioactive materials being released, alongside critical gaps in how these emissions are monitored and regulated.

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Davis-Besse Report Reveals Constant Pollution, Flawed Monitoring, and Unending Nuclear Waste

OAK HARBOR, OH – The Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station's 2024 Annual Radiological Environmental Operating Report and Radioactive Effluent Release Report, presented as a routine compliance document, is, upon closer inspection, a testament to the inherent contradictions and failures of nuclear power. Far from offering reassurance, a detailed breakdown of its contents reveals a systematic downplaying of risk, consistent operational deficiencies, and an unavoidable legacy of environmental burden.

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Toxic Tides: Piketon Nuclear Site Discharges Flow Straight into Southern Ohio Rivers

PIKETON, OH - An internal wastewater discharge flow map from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio, reveals a massive and active system that continues to move effluents from various facilities into Southern Ohio waterways — including the Scioto River and both branches of Beaver Creek. But this isn’t just about modern discharges of treated water. During its uranium enrichment prime, radioactive materials were routinely released into the environment, and historical records confirm it.

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Federal Wildlife Agency Flags Protected Species for Centrus HALEU Plant Extension in Pike County

COLUMBUS, OH – Federal wildlife officials have identified a list of threatened and endangered species that may be present in or affected by the proposed nine-year license extension for the Centrus ACO HALEU Demonstration Plant in Pike County. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Ohio Ecological Services Field Office issued the formal species list to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of federal requirements under the Endangered Species Act.

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Smell and Burning Lungs Reported Near Piketon Atomic Plant Days Before DOE's "Progress" Update

PIKETON, OH - Official reports from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant highlight ongoing deactivation and cleanup efforts, but recent incidents reported by local residents are raising significant questions about the immediate environmental and health impacts of these activities. The plant's latest management update, presented by the Department of Energy (DOE), Ohio EPA, and the Ohio Department of Health, details progress in water treatment, waste placement, and building deactivation.

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Exposed: How the Feds Got Caught Falsifying Radiation Doses in Ohio

PIKETON, OH – For decades, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has assured communities surrounding its nuclear sites that everything is under control, that radiation levels are "far below health and safety standards." But a bombshell revelation from 2019, coupled with chilling federal lawsuits, paints a far more disturbing picture: one where the very data meant to protect us has allegedly been manipulated, and the science behind "safe" radiation is being exposed as a dangerous farce.

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HANFORD & PIKETON: Nuclear Cleanup Sites Left In Peril As Federal Support Fades

HANFORD, Washington — Across the United States, the Cold War left a toxic inheritance: sprawling sites poisoned by the pursuit of nuclear power and weapons. Decades later, the promise of cleaning up this mess rings increasingly hollow as funding dries up and political agendas threaten to derail efforts, leaving behind a legacy of illness and uncertainty for the communities that bore the brunt of the atomic age. The story is disturbingly similar from Washington state to the rolling hills of southern Ohio.

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Denmark’s Nuclear U-Turn: Is the Green Pioneer About to Gamble with Nuclear?

Denmark, long celebrated for its leadership in wind energy and a steadfast ban on nuclear power since 1985, is now reconsidering its stance. As the nation grapples with future energy demands and climate goals, some policymakers and industry leaders are advocating for the inclusion of nuclear energy in the country's energy mix. However, this shift raises concerns about safety, waste management, and reliance on controversial nuclear fuels.

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Mobile Meltdowns: The Risky Rush for Portable Nuclear Power

A new nuclear frontier is being aggressively pushed: small, mobile reactors touted as the future of energy. But behind the optimistic press releases lie stark warnings from government watchdogs and independent experts. An examination grounded in documented statements reveals a troubling landscape of unresolved dangers and experimental technologies being fast-tracked for deployment.

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Ohio's Nuclear Crossroads: Atomic Ambitions Clash with Toxic Legacy

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio's nuclear landscape is a battleground, where the siren song of "clean" energy clashes with the grim reality of radioactive contamination and the escalating risks of aging atomic infrastructure. A recent 30-day snapshot, from mid-April to mid-May 2025, reveals a state grappling with its nuclear demons, pushing forward with potentially disastrous plant extensions while dodging accountability for decades of radioactive mess.

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THE POISONING OF THE VALLEY: A Legacy of Neglect and Deceit at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

For generations, the Scioto Valley has been home to a resilient community. But beneath the surface of this southern Ohio landscape lies a toxic truth, a legacy of contamination emanating from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) that has poisoned the land, the water, the air, and, residents fear, their very lives. This investigation, drawing on a mountain of official documents, scientific findings, and harrowing community testimonies, exposes a decades-long saga of environmental negligence, systemic regulatory failure, and a web of culpability involving the plant's operators, federal and state authorities, and private contractors. The grim consequence: dangerous radioactive and chemical contaminants have spread far beyond the plant's fences, and Pike County now bears the horrific burden of some of the highest cancer and mortality rates in the state, a crisis this report will demonstrate is inextricably linked to the toxic shadow of PORTS.

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Massive nuclear disaster drill raises concerns across Midwest and Canada

For one week, from March 14–21, a sweeping nuclear disaster exercise is unfolding across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Ontario, testing the emergency response capabilities of more than 70 local, state, provincial, and federal agencies. Cobalt Magnet 25, led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), will simulate the aftermath of a nuclear power plant accident—an operation involving over 3,000 participants and extensive field activity that could make for an unsettling sight to residents in affected areas.

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North Dakota Senate votes to lift research ban on high-level nuclear waste, sparking debate

In a major policy shift, the North Dakota Senate has overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 2159 (45-2), paving the way for the state’s energy research sector to explore high-level radioactive waste projects. If signed into law, the bill would repeal a long-standing prohibition preventing the North Dakota State Energy Research Center from engaging in research, storage, or disposal efforts related to nuclear waste.

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Piketon’s Water Woes: EPA Flags Violations as Fear of Radioactive Contamination Continue

PIKETON, OH - For a town that’s been grappling with fears of radioactive pollution for years, the last thing residents wanted was another reason to doubt their tap water. But that’s exactly what they got when the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to the Piketon Village Public Water System (PWS) for failing to monitor disinfection by-products (DBPs) in its drinking water.

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Federal Budget Uncertainty Raises Alarms for Nuclear Cleanup Sites Nationwide

WASHINGTON - The future of nuclear cleanup efforts across the United States remains uncertain as potential federal budget cuts loom under the Trump administration’s latest cost-cutting initiatives. The Department of Energy (DOE) has yet to finalize its 2026 fiscal year budget, and concerns are growing that remediation projects at major nuclear sites, including Portsmouth, Paducah, and Oak Ridge, could see significant funding reductions.

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Oklo Partners with Lightbridge on Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Amid Securities Fraud Allegations

OKLO - Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO), a nuclear power and fuel recycling company, announced on Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lightbridge Corporation (Nasdaq: LTBR), a nuclear fuel technology firm. The agreement aims to explore the feasibility of co-locating a Lightbridge commercial-scale fuel fabrication facility at Oklo's proposed fuel fabrication plant, as well as investigate methods for recycling nuclear waste.

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Beneath the Surface: Ohio EPA Flags Risks in Sub-Surface Demolition Plan for X-326

PIKETON, OH - The demolition of the X-326 Process Building at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a sprawling Cold War relic in Piketon, Ohio, is turning into a case study of bureaucratic oversight and environmental anxiety. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has raised pointed questions about the Department of Energy’s (DOE) At- and Below-Grade Demolition Design Plan, highlighting potential risks to public safety and the environment in the project to dismantle this once-massive uranium enrichment facility.

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AEP Goes Nuclear: Pursues Federal Grants for Potential Nuclear Power Sites in Indiana, Virginia

COLUMBUS, OH — American Electric Power (AEP) is seeking federal funding to explore the potential development of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) on two company-owned properties in the Midwest and Southeast. The utility’s plans, which aim to secure grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), could mark a notable shift in how electricity is generated—and in how local communities engage with nuclear power—in Indiana and Virginia.

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Don’t Drink the Radioactive Kool-Aid: The Perils of Nuclear Power in the Modern Age

OPINION - In the face of climate change, nuclear power is increasingly being championed as a clean energy solution. Advocates highlight advancements such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) as the future of the industry. They also push for the revival of decommissioned plants like Three Mile Island, claiming they are essential to energy security. But behind the promises lies a sobering reality: nuclear energy remains fraught with safety concerns, aging infrastructure, and unsolved waste issues that make it a hazardous bet for the future.

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The Unseen Costs: A Deep Dive into the Dangers of Nuclear Energy

THE UNSEEN COSTS

A Deep Dive into the Enduring Dangers of Nuclear Energy and its Modern Illusions

An Eternal Burden

1,000,000

Years of Lethal Hazard

The radioactive waste from nuclear reactors remains hazardous for up to one million years—a timescale that defies human comprehension and planning. With no permanent disposal solution, this perpetual poison is a profound intergenerational injustice and the technology's most fundamental, unresolved flaw.

The Perpetual Poison: An Unresolved Waste Crisis

Decades of nuclear power have created a monumental and escalating problem. With the failure of the Yucca Mountain repository, the nation's 90,000 metric tons of spent fuel remain in vulnerable, "temporary" storage, a crisis that so-called "advanced" reactors are poised to make worse.

The Mounting Stockpile

The U.S. generates over 2,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel every year, relentlessly adding to a dangerous stockpile with no place to go.

This chart illustrates the steady accumulation of high-level nuclear waste stored at reactor sites across the U.S. Each new reactor built adds directly to this growing, unmanageable threat.

The SMR Paradox: More Waste, Not Less

Contrary to industry claims, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are projected to generate a significantly greater volume of radioactive waste per unit of energy.

This chart shows that some SMR designs could produce up to 30 times more waste than conventional reactors, exacerbating the disposal crisis and exposing the "advanced" label as a marketing illusion.

Radiation's Shadow: A Legacy of Harm

Across the nation, frontline communities bear the devastating health and environmental costs of nuclear contamination from weapons production and uranium mining. The expiration of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) has only deepened this injustice.

A Nation Under Threat

Radioactive fallout from activities like the Trinity test reached 46 states, while any future centralized waste repository would require shipping lethal cargo through communities where 123 million Americans live.

Highlighted states represent areas impacted by historical fallout or proposed nuclear waste transport routes, showing the widespread nature of the nuclear threat.

The Human Cost: Pike County, OH

The community near the Portsmouth plant suffers from tragically high cancer rates—a direct consequence of decades of contamination and regulatory failure.

A Timeline of Failure and Injustice

1940s-1980s: Radioactive Colonialism

The government, aware of the risks, deliberately failed to protect Indigenous miners on the Navajo Nation from deadly radon exposure, leaving a legacy of over 500 abandoned mines, contamination, and disease.

1979: Three Mile Island, USA

A partial core meltdown exposed critical flaws in control room design and emergency training, demonstrating how human and systemic failures can lead to severe accidents.

1986: Chernobyl, Ukraine

A catastrophic core meltdown and explosion spread radioactive contamination across Europe, causing immediate deaths and a documented surge in childhood thyroid cancers.

2011: Fukushima Daiichi, Japan

A massive tsunami caused three nuclear meltdowns, releasing vast amounts of radiation and forcing the relocation of hundreds of thousands of people. Cleanup costs are estimated to exceed $100 billion.

June 2024: RECA Expires

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act expired, cutting off crucial health coverage and compensation for thousands of victims of the U.S. nuclear weapons program.

The Illusion of "Advanced" Nuclear

SMRs are marketed as the future, but they are unproven, economically unviable, and introduce new safety and global security risks. The term "advanced" is a deceptive label for a dangerous gamble.

The Pathway to Proliferation

All nuclear reactors produce Plutonium-239, a key ingredient for nuclear weapons. The distributed nature of SMRs and the push for reprocessing spent fuel make weapons-usable material more accessible, increasing global security threats.

Step 1: Nuclear Reactor Operation

Uranium fuel is used, producing energy and creating Plutonium-239 as a byproduct in the spent fuel.

Step 2: Spent Fuel Reprocessing

A chemical process separates weapons-usable plutonium from other waste products.

Step 3: Proliferation Risk

The extracted plutonium can be diverted by state or non-state actors to build nuclear weapons.

Flagship SMR Failure

89%

Cost Overrun

The NuScale SMR project in Idaho was cancelled after its projected cost soared by 89% to over $89/MWh, becoming "astronomical" and economically unviable before construction even began. This failure is a stark warning about the unproven and costly nature of SMR technology.

Economic Realities: A Costly Diversion

Nuclear power is economically uncompetitive, relying on massive government subsidies to survive. It is a slow and expensive distraction from the cheaper, faster, and safer renewable energy solutions that are ready now.

The Soaring Cost of Nuclear vs. Renewables

The Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) clearly shows that nuclear power is already far more expensive than solar and wind—a gap that is projected to widen dramatically.

This projection shows that by 2050, solar PV is expected to be more than four times cheaper than advanced nuclear power, making nuclear an economically irrational investment for a clean energy future.

Deployment Speed: No Contest

For every 1 unit of nuclear capacity added globally, renewables are being deployed at a staggering rate, highlighting nuclear's inability to address the climate crisis with the urgency required.

☀️

100x

Solar Deployed 100x Faster

💨

25x

Wind Deployed 25x Faster

With an average construction time of 6-8 years per reactor, nuclear is too slow to make a meaningful impact on climate change compared to the rapid scalability of solar and wind.

A Call for a Nuclear-Free Future

The evidence is unequivocal: nuclear energy is a dangerous, costly, and unsustainable distraction. From its eternal waste and legacy of contamination to its proliferation risks and uncompetitive economics, it is a failed technology of the past masquerading as a solution for the future. A truly clean, safe, and equitable energy system is possible, but it requires a strategic and urgent pivot away from the nuclear gamble and toward 100% investment in renewable energy and efficiency. The time for a nuclear-free future is now.