The_AT Ignorance_NN1 Behind_II Anti-Nuclear_JJ Bias_NN1 A_ZZ1 Times_NNT2 editorial_NN1 perpetuates_VVZ the_AT myths_NN2 that_CST nuclear_JJ power_NN1 plants_NN2 are_VBR uniquely_RR dangerous_JJ and_CC too_RG cost-prohibitive_JJ to_TO build_VVI ._. 
The_AT Times_NNT2 excels_VVZ when_RRQ it_PPH1 comments_VVZ on_II social_JJ and_CC political_JJ issues_NN2 on_II its_APPGE opinion_NN1 pages_NN2 ._. 
But_CCB when_CS tackling_VVG technical_JJ issues_NN2 ,_, it_PPH1 often_RR falls_VVZ dramatically_RR short_JJ ._. 
I_PPIS1 am_VBM both_RR frustrated_VVN and_CC annoyed_JJ at_II the_AT lack_NN1 of_IO knowledge_NN1 of_IO nuclear_JJ power_NN1 that_CST pervades_VVZ this_DD1 country_NN1 ,_, and_CC the_AT perpetuation_NN1 of_IO this_DD1 ignorance_NN1 by_II well-meaning_JJ but_CCB equally_RR uninformed_JJ authority_NN1 figures_NN2 ._. 
The_AT Times_NNT2 '_GE Nov._NPM1 28_MC editorial_JJ ,_, "_" No_AT new_JJ nukes_NN2 --_JJ plants_NN2 ,_, that_REX21 is_REX22 ,_, "_" perpetuates_VVZ this_DD1 ignorance_NN1 ._. 
People_NN fear_VV0 what_DDQ they_PPHS2 do_VD0 n't_XX understand_VVI ._. 
The_AT issues_NN2 with_IW nuclear_JJ power_NN1 are_VBR not_XX technical_JJ but_CCB social_JJ and_CC political_JJ ._. 
The_AT majority_NN1 of_IO the_AT nuclear_JJ technical_JJ issues_NN2 were_VBDR resolved_VVN in_II the_AT 1960s_MC2 ,_, and_CC the_AT technology_NN1 today_RT is_VBZ well_RR understood_VVN by_II engineers_NN2 working_VVG with_IW these_DD2 systems_NN2 ._. 
Yet_RR efforts_NN2 to_TO educate_VVI the_AT public_NN1 regarding_II nuclear_JJ power_NN1 are_VBR lacking_VVG ,_, leading_VVG to_II the_AT dangerous_JJ perpetuation_NN1 of_IO misinformation_NN1 ._. 
Nuclear_JJ power_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT cleanest_JJT ,_, safest_JJT and_CC --_JJ if_CS other_JJ power-generating_JJ sources_NN2 were_VBDR compared_VVN fairly_RR --_JJ the_AT cheapest_JJT method_NN1 of_IO generating_JJ electricity_NN1 ._. 
As_II The_AT Times_NNT2 writes_VVZ ,_, nuclear_JJ power_NN1 plants_NN2 do_VD0 indeed_RR "_" take_VV0 too_RG long_JJ to_TO build_VVI and_CC cost_VVI too_RG much_DA1 ,_, "_" but_CCB only_RR because_II21 of_II22 restrictions_NN2 imposed_VVN on_II them_PPHO2 that_CST are_VBR motivated_VVN by_II political_JJ and_CC social_JJ pressure_NN1 as_RG much_DA1 as_CSA they_PPHS2 are_VBR by_II safety_NN1 ._. 
Coal-fired_JJ power_NN1 plants_NN2 ,_, for_REX21 example_REX22 ,_, not_XX only_RR emit_VV0 massive_JJ amounts_NN2 of_IO carbon_NN1 dioxide_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 can_VM be_VBI up_RG21 to_RG22 100_MC times_NNT2 more_RRR radioactive_JJ than_CSN nuclear_JJ plants_NN2 producing_VVG the_AT same_DA amount_NN1 of_IO energy_NN1 ._. 
Raw_JJ coal_NN1 has_VHZ numerous_JJ impurities_NN2 ,_, including_II uranium_NN1 ,_, thorium_NN1 and_CC potassium_NN1 40_MC ._. 
When_CS coal_NN1 is_VBZ burned_VVN ,_, these_DD2 radioactive_JJ impurities_NN2 concentrate_VV0 at_RR21 least_RR22 by_II an_AT1 order_NN1 of_IO magnitude_NN1 ._. 
All_DB of_IO the_AT nation_NN1 's_GE nuclear_JJ power_NN1 is_VBZ dedicated_VVN to_II the_AT production_NN1 of_IO electricity_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ generated_VVN primarily_RR in_II three_MC stages_NN2 --_JJ base_NN1 load_NN1 ,_, intermediate_JJ and_CC peak_NN1 shaving_VVG ._. 
Base-load_JJ electricity_NN1 production_NN1 ,_, for_IF which_DDQ nuclear_JJ power_NN1 is_VBZ ideally_RR suited_VVN ,_, makes_VVZ up_RP about_RG 35%_NNU to_II 40%_NNU of_IO the_AT power_NN1 generated_VVN in_II the_AT U.S._NP1 each_DD1 year_NNT1 ._. 
Given_CS21 that_CS22 the_AT electricity_NN1 produced_VVD annually_RR in_II the_AT U.S._NP1 is_VBZ on_II the_AT order_NN1 of_IO 40_MC quadrillion_NN1 BTUs_NN1 (_( or_CC "_" quads_NN2 "_" )_) ,_, the_AT base-load_JJ contribution_NN1 is_VBZ between_II 14_MC and_CC 16_MC quads_NN2 ,_, which_DDQ alone_RR is_VBZ more_DAR than_CSN seven_MC times_NNT2 the_AT total_JJ electricity_NN1 produced_VVD annually_RR in_II France_NP1 ._. 
Renewable_JJ sources_NN2 indeed_RR have_VH0 a_AT1 niche_NN1 in_II providing_VVG energy_NN1 ,_, and_CC they_PPHS2 should_VM be_VBI enthusiastically_RR pursued_VVN as_CSA they_PPHS2 are_VBR ._. 
But_CCB it_PPH1 's_VBZ unrealistic_JJ to_TO expect_VVI that_CST their_APPGE capacity_NN1 will_VM reach_VVI a_AT1 point_NN1 at_II which_DDQ they_PPHS2 are_VBR viable_JJ sole_JJ contenders_NN2 for_IF providing_VVG base-load_JJ electricity_NN1 in_II our_APPGE lifetimes_NNT2 ._. 
