Jack Devanney: "In the boom of the early 70's, nuclear lost control of its costs, as did coal. This was accompanied by regulatory attempts to ensure we would never have a release of radioactive material. These attempts led to ALARA, the regulatory principle that any exposure to radiation is unacceptable if the plant can afford to reduce it further. In other words, there are no limits. And the criterion is not whether the benefits of the reduction, if any, outweigh the costs. The criterion is: can the plant afford it? ALARA mandated the regulator to force the cost of nuclear power at least up to the cost of its competitors. ALARA quickly priced nuclear out of business. In the USA, new nuclear plant ordering dried up in 1975. This was four years before Three Mile Island, and a time during which nuclear power enjoyed strong public support."
Over-Regulation of Nuclear Power
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