Nuclear Power Gets Strong Push From White House

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/science/earth/30nuke.html?hp

The Obama administration is pushing nuclear power by proposing federal loans for new nuclear projects and appointing a panel to solve the problem of nuclear waste. Instead of the current $18.5 billion in loan guarantees, Obama is requesting $54 billion for the 2011 budget year. Loan guarantees are supposed to cover 80 percent of construction cost, and the current amount can only cover the costs of three projects. The federal government hopes to profit from the loans by collecting fees from the profits, but many experts believe that this will result in the fiasco of the 1980's, when the cost of construction rose so much that the projects were abandoned before being completed. Another problem is what to do with nuclear waste, especially since Obama has ended the use of Yucca Mountain.

Is nuclear energy the most profitable investment in the move towards sustainable energy, or is just another endless money drainer?