Reply #27: proven uranium reserves are said to only be 10-20 years. [View All]

[megatherium]

But the nuclear industry expects two or three times as much economic uranium ore to be found when there's a bit more economic incentive to go prospecting for it. Also, fuel reprocessing will supply a good bit more.

Breeder reactors in theory could stretch fuel supply into the indefinite future, but breeder reactors have a reputation for being extremely expensive and problematic. Breeder projects have been scrapped because there's no need for the (expensive) plutonium they would produce -- yet.

As far as plutonium proliferation goes, I gather things can be arranged so that nice isotopes of plutonium can be produced (good for reactors but bad for bombs; bombs built with the wrong isotope fizzle, producing 4% of the normal yield).