Hillary did a funny evolution on Nuclear power in 2007-8, of course:
"I think nuclear power has to be part of our energy solution... We get about 20% of our energy from nuclear power in our country... other countries like France get much much more, so we do have to look at it because it doesn't put greenhouse gas emissions into the air."
-Hillary Clinton [February 18, 2007]
"I'm agnostic about nuclear power. Until we figure out what we're going to do with the waste and the cost, it's very hard to see nuclear as a part of our future. But that's where American technology comes in. Let's figure out what we're going to do about the waste and the cost if we think nuclear should be a part of the solution."
-Hillary Clinton [July 2007]
"I have a comprehensive energy plan that does not rely on nuclear power. I have said we should not be siting any more coal-powered plants unless they can have the most modern, clean technology. I want big demonstration projects to figure out how we would capture and sequester carbon. This is going to take a massive effort. This should be our Apollo moon shot. There’s work for everybody to do--the states, communities and individuals. That’s what I want to summon the country to achieve."
-Hillary Clinton [Jan 15, 2008]
but now she is for it again and she wants to reward grants for it:
Challenge Grants: Award competitive grants through Clinton’s Clean Energy Challenge to states, cities and rural communities that take the lead in reducing carbon pollution by investing in renewable energy, nuclear power and carbon capture and sequestration, and reducing energy costs by investing in efficiency in both new and existing buildings.
Hillary Clinton’s Vision for Modernizing North American Energy Infrastructure
It looks like Bernie wants a moratorium:
"In my state there is a strong feeling that we want to go forward with energy efficiency and sustainable energy. I believe that we have that right. I believe that every other state in the country has that right," Sanders said. "If we want to move to sustainable energy and not maintain an aging, trouble-plagued nuclear power plant, I think we should be allowed to do that."
-Senator Bernie Sanders [March 2012]
[source]
Why wasn’t Bernie able to force Hillary to ”evolve” (again) on Nuclear, like Obama? Is she right? Could it be that Bernie is wrong to want to impose a moratorium on growing to our crumbling nuclear infrastructure? Is Hillary’s grant proposal irresponsible without a requirement that the new plants use new safer cleaner technology and serve to replace old unsafe plants? Why has this issue been so very quiet this season? Do we not need to either replace or shut down quite a few of these stations, like Indian Point? Why is nuclear not discussed more often in the conversation about sustainable energy sources and climate change?
I don’t get it.
I actually just don’t get it.