Letter: How green can nuclear power really be? (2)

From Larry Stoter, The Narth, Monmouth, UK

You say that about 1 gram of carbon dioxide is emitted as a result of mining the uranium to generate 1 kilowatt-hour of energy in a nuclear power station. What about emissions during its construction, including making the concrete and steel, and from the large number of vehicle movements? I would expect another peak in CO2 emissions during the decommissioning phase. The really useful figure to know would be annualised CO2 emissions, from ground-breaking to final decommissioning, of each of the various options for electricity production.

The editor writes:

• Estimates vary: one study suggests total emissions of 3.5 to 12 grams of CO2 per kWh for nuclear, wind and solar power alike (Nature Energy, doi.org/gcqbxv).