Short Sighted Policies

[sunseeker]

The British government has paved the way to build nuclear power stations. There was a debate on the BBC last night.  The upshot is that if built on schedule it will be 2020 before the first ones become operational.
Despite the fact that we will need, an alternative by 2016, there will need to be at least five years of consultation, and planning approval. The British Government, are relying on this being funded by the private sector (the latest technology will not be employed in order to keep the cost down) , despite the fact that  to date no operational nuclear power station has been built anywhere in the world without tax payers money. So the government will be able to distance themselves, from the project anytime that they think fit.

A number of experts (expert = someone who spends many years at great expense to come up with either a ludicrous idea, something insignificant, or something that we all could have figured out for ourselves), and politicians discussed  the subject in depth last night. I must say that I could have made a far better case for nuclear myself. There was a great deal of hostility against  nuclear, most preferring to go with a mixture of solar, wind, wave, and fossil fuel (coal was mentioned a great deal) combined with carbon capture technology.

Exasperating is the word that comes to mind.

[dananini]

Nauseating if you own too many uranium juniors.

[langman57]

Alot of "experts" predicted Obama in NH. 

[maxine]

I read somewhere that Obama is pushing for coal liquification as a way to free US from oil dependency.
Many coal shares that I checked on were up considerably in the last while probably since the liquification scenario was mentioned in the campaign.

[sunseeker]

Thanks Max. you got me thinking. 

I did make some profits, some time ago with Peabody, Headwaters, and UK Coal (more for the property portfolio than the coal). Since coal is very abundant, easy to utilise, and the clean technology is available perhaps it could be due for a bit of a renaissance.

I never close my mind to any investment opportunity, since I am out of touch with coal, and so I can do a bit of fast track learning:
Is anyone out there into coal/coal technologies?
If so which ones?
Any thoughts (good idea no brainer. Don't let any of your pro uranium feelings cloud your judgement)?

[Uboat]

more on the coal debate at

 http://www.llrx.com/extras/coaltoliquid.htm

[Dr George]

From past experience I can tell you all that speculators drive up the price of coal every time the price of oil is up a ton.
The argument is that utilities will switch to the cheaper fuel; and though it never happens, it is a speculation trade that tends to work nonetheless.

[richmanch]

I think coal is a great investment, but it's the big reason for global warming, so I'm not too keen on it. Coal, in fact, is pretty awful without global warming--thousands of people die from the pollution, though it's hard to trace back to the actual smokestack. That's the irony--you could have a nuclear accident where 50,000 people die instantly, and it would still be safer than coal...

But, I'm not kidding myself. Uranium miners are not out planting flowers. Still, I would prefer to live near a nuclear plant than a coal one.

Anyway, BUCY is a good play. They're basically shovelmakers.

I've got a good feeling about tomorrow...today's close looked good overall. maybe bernanke is going to bring his checkbook to his speech tomorrow (not a rate decision speech). The market is desperate for him to say something nice.

[richmanch]

And I forgot to say that it seems the UK is really dragging it's feet with this issue, and it's probably going to cost them in the longer term.

Good thing/too bad these stories have zero impact on the short term mining market. It's a bigger picture issue, and the bigger picture just gets better and better for uranium. I say too bad because here's an article from my local paper today:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzfpl0110sbjan10,0,5683314.story

[sunseeker]

Thanks for the good  response. It’s given me something to think about.

The UK will definitely press ahead with it's nuclear program.
This looks like good news for anyone holding Ditem. It could rub off onto some of the others.

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCAHKG28147520080110?rpc=44

Good news. Maybe a sign of things to come. 

[sunseeker]

England, and Wales will get new nuclear power stations. The company that will be responsible for building them will be the French utility EDF Energy.

We have found out today that our prime minister Gordon Brown’s brother works for EDF Energy.

Nepotism Rules UK.

So you Americans, and Canadians it’s clear that if you want to get more nuclear, vote for someone who has a member of their family in the nuclear business.

Anyone in the presidential race related to Dines?