Evening star., 1953-05-24
Atom Power
ltWon't Be Feasible
Here for Some Time
By Jock Jones'

tions which may eventually resolve
into one of particular interest to
Pepco:
Is atomic power feasible for WASH
ington?
Before an answer can be reached
many side issues must be settled.
These hinge principally on the Gov
ernment's reluctance to set a policy
on private industrys participation
in nuclear development.
And despite the fact that produc-
ton of power here is more costly
than in areas where water power Is
readily available. nuclear power
might be even more costly. unless
by-productS. such as plutonium, can
be sold to the Government.
The Big Question
Before atomic power is possible
for washington the big question to
be answered is this:
Can Pepco'S current 100000.
kilowatt capacity-and the antici-
pated 0,OO0-kilowatt capacity-be
safely and economically maintained
with nuclear power?
This breaks down into a multitude
of issues.
The first of these is the initial in
VeStment. Pepco operates three coal
fired plants Benning road, with
100000 killowatt capacity; Buzzard
Point (270,000 kw) and Potomac
River 100000 kW).
To replace these coal generators
with nuclear power under the pres
ent Setup would require three sepa-
rate plants. This would represent a
tremendous investment - just how
much is not known, but estimates
run as high as $190 million. This is
one of the answers sought by the re-
search team.
However, the heating plant is only
part of the system. Distribution
and service costs would be the same.
Payrolls would probably be heavier.
because more skilled employees would
be needed. These, coupled with
heavy costs for safety and security.
the economists say, would boost the
cost of atomic power above the pres
ent cost of power produced with coal.
Sale of Waste
Some of the researchers feel that
nuclear power would be feasible only
II plutonium, the fashionable by
product used in atomic weapons,
were sold to the Government. Pri-
vate industry, these men say, could
do the job more cheaply than the
Government.
The Dow-Detroit group, which
Pepco has joined, holds different
view-that any by-products should
be put back into the power plant to
produce more power.
Pepco, meantime. cannot wait on
the uncertain future of nuclear pow
er. Demands for electric power in
crease each day. The Washington
pacity to its Potomac River plant.
Another similar addition has been
approved for completion in 1856.
This will make the Potomac River
plant the largest of the three.
The Sofety Foetor
Safety is another factor which has
caused private industry to cast
wary eye on atomic power. The Gov
ernment has spent fabulous sums to
protect atomic workers from radia-
ton and explosion.
Government plants are normally
built on large acreage as a safety
and security measure. If Pepco, in
order to produce nuclear power.
were forced to consolidate its pres
ent plants on one large site near
Washington, the changeover would
be costly.
The matter of security has slowed
down Government policy statements
with relation to private industry.
So many things about nuclear
energy still are classified that
security checks of employees would
be necessary.
No FBl for Industry
The Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton makes the Governments secur-
ity checks. but private industry has
no such organization. Whether the
FBI would be willing to check Sc
curity of private employees Is q de-
batable point.
Switching from coal-fired to nu-
clear operation would mean q
change from mechanical engineer
ing to chemical engineering. EN-
ployes would have to be taught new
techniqueS. Training of engineers
would present another security prob
lem.
Under the present atomic energy
laws Pepco could retain no patents
on methods it might develop inde-
pendently in nuclear power research.
All patent rights rest with the Gov
ernment, and all fashionable mate
rialS are strictly controlled by the
Atomic Energy Commission.
That is another point that irks
industry, which is asked to put
time and money into research
and then turn over all its ideas and
developments to the Government.
Estimates on when nuclear power
will be reality vary from five to
20 or rs years. One important point
is that cost estimates each year are
revised downward.
In the meantime. coal is available
in such quantity that despite trans
pOrtatiOn costs, it still holds an
advantage over nuclear power.
But industry, looking toward the
day when coal may be in short
supply-as it is in Britain today
is hoping the Government will relax
and say definitely what industry can
and cannot do to make nuclear power
reality.
Private industry's part in the de-
velopment Of nuclear power got q
temporary boost shortly after Presi-
dent Eisenhower took Office. The
President said industry must be given
q hipper share in nllclear develnn.