Simply put, we don't do better because there is money to be made, despotically since the U.S. government subsidizes nuclear energy. If they didn't, it would not be profitable compared to other energy sources.

From what I understand, utilities are guaranteed by law to make a profit. There is no energy shortage. It is a priorities problem.

@Della ?? That is something new to me. Utility companies all over the country are starting to lose money. They basically have a product to sell and when there are not enough buyers or the price is too low the result is higher costs.

@JackPedigo I may have spoken out of ignorance. Shame on me. I have to get ready for work right now so I don't have time to investigate this further. I will have to get back to you.

@JackPedigo Private utility companies th tlose money usually do so because they increased th salaries of top employees (CEOs, CFOs, board members and such), and they increase their liabilities by nto maintaining thier infrastructure (Like PF&E in Northern California, which is now entering bankruptcy because their lack of maintenance caused many wild fires, for which they are beign sued). They also fail to update equipment and end up havign to compete with more efficient energy production methods. In short they are always concerns with next quarter's profits and tend to neglect the long term profitability of the company, which cna only be done by investing in and maintaining their equipment...

@snytiger6 I read a report some time ago and then there was an NPR report about the plight of energy companies. Just like the highways people are driving more fuel efficient cars and the gas tax has not been raised for a long time. This means there is not enough money to maintain our highways. It's called growth and most people fail to understand growth costs. We have an independent energy concern. Because of the shortage of businesses here the company charges everyone at the same rate so as to not discourage businesses. That means the base charge keeps going up. It is over $42 a month now. Raising the use rate lowers the need to build more manufacturing plants but it also reduces the income for the company. This is where we and a lot of other power companies are. The companies have to diversify (hence innovative CEO's). Our company, (Opalco [opalco.com] scroll down to Rock) Island has bought a broadband corp. and has is installing the fiber optic cables everywhere (there is a junction box at my driveway). They have also installed a large solar array on another island and members can sign on. All this has created a lot of controversy but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

@JackPedigo I am aware of some of the issues of growth. Yes more fuel efficient cars means lower revenues for maintaining highways. However republican shave rejected all attempts to recoup those revenues through other means, as they categorize it as a tax increase Perhaps car registration fees shodl be based on the weight of a vehicle and the hauling capacity of trucks, as the heavier the vehicle the more wear and tear on the highways?

I ten dto question the high pay of CEOs, because even though they are paid huge sums of money, it doesn't seem like they deliver all that often or well enough to justify their salariews.

Not all utility companies are blind to the future and are planning for coming changes, bu tmany just make superficial efforts for purposes of public image, than any kind of substantial investment in cleaner more renewable energy sources.

I used PG&E as a example, because they have long been guilty of overpay9ign executives and not maintaining their equipment, while charging higher rates than other utility companies in the area.. Most companies are not as bad as PG&E have been, but most also do similar things, just not to the same extent. Also, that their non-maintained equipment strted at least 17 wild fires recently, have put them in the news, as they are having to go into bankruptcy due to all the lawsuits as a result of mismanaging (lack of maintenance of equipment to keep it safe) the company.

@snytiger6 I feel to often we try to simplify things. We have a couple here that are graduates from UCBerkly in energy systems and he travels over asia trying to help out of the way villages set up off grid systems. I have been trying to pay attention with energy systems so I can find ways to reduce my own energy usage. Our energy company is transparent with what is going on and, as I have siad, there have been reports on NPR. Yes, there are too often greedy companies at fault but I refuse to blame everything on just Republicans.

@JackPedigo You are right not to categorize a single group for all the energy problems. There are a few republicans who are conscientious, and the party may move in a different direction eventually, bu tas of right now, their policies and rhetoric pretty much always side with the greedy corporations. When they change the direction of their party, I'll change where I put most of the blame to those persons or groups that choose geed over the well being of people in ge4neral.

@snytiger6 I was thinking this morning when I saw an article about the legislators in WA submitting a bill to ban single use plastic bags. Very often these things come up for a vote and very often people turn it down because they are influenced by corporate ads telling them it is a bad policy. Then when the legislators do make a rule another measure comes up from special interest groups saying we should overturn the measure because it was made without a consensus of the people. We are too often just as gullible as the politicians.

@JackPedigo Yeah. It seems money spent by corporations on politics usually has more than a ten fold return in what does or does not get legislated.

@snytiger6 I agree otherwise they wouldn't do this. For Corps. it's only about short term profits. Too bad individuals also fall for the scam.

I think Trump simply really doesn't give a shit. By the time the full reckoning comes he will be dead. So, he doesn't really care.