To answer one question, when you talk about Capacity Factor of any power source, this also includes down time. So a US nuclear plant, over the course of a year, will typically put out electricity equal to 80 - 90% of its maximum rating (what it would generate if it ran 24/7 for a year. The 10 - 20% loss is from downtime for maintenance and other factors. Even in a year with a major refueling outage and other work, plants are finishing the year around these numbers. (As you've noted, wind energy tends to be 30% CF or less because you not only have downtime but also wind speed to constantly contend with.) I'm not an expert on the economics of various energy systems, but I do have a very good understanding of the technical and social side of nuclear energy, having worked at plants for over twenty years. I've tried to share that, including a look at an accident, via my novel "Rad Decision", available at no cost to readers at http://RadDecision.blogspot.com. Take a look, you might find it interesting. Regards, James Aach "I'd like to see Rad Decision widely read." - Stewart Brand