We have already seen this happening with wind power, as the price of building wind farms has risen dramatically over the past few years. I know that Jerome will point out the many causes for this, but the fact is that, eventually, wind will end up only slightly cheaper than other technologies. Why should a firm charge 80% of the going rate for conventionally generated power when it would still be a good deal at 95%?
One can have state controlled, or regulated entities, and prevent this from happening, but the trend has been away from this for decades. If this is going to be reversed it will take more political will then is currently in evidence.
What I'm leading up to is that nuclear will never be a "bargain". Costs all along the supply chain from ore to fuel rods, to disposal, to facilities will all rise, just because they can. So, whatever other reasons there may be for increasing reliance on nuclear cheaper electricity won't be one of them. Policies not Politics ---- Daily Landscape
another example of jeavon's paradox. ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
What is needed is a "Not for Loss" or "Profit for Purpose" enterprise model.
That's where my stuff comes in - a partnership-based model which is:
(a) a market solution which beats state allocation of resources IMHO;
(b) a market solution without profit leaking out to "rentiers" - so it thereby undercuts the "Private" sector and out-competes them through the "Co-operative Advantage".... "Any economic unit can emit money. The serious problem is to get it accepted" Hyman Minsky
