The Ambitious Yet Troubling Pursuit of Nuclear Energy in Washington

In the early 1970s, a small agency of about 81 people backed by some of Washington state's local utilities decided to build five nuclear power plants. Simultaneously. And it went about as well as you might think. With the country's biggest municipal bond bankruptcy up until then. And four abandoned power stations. The story of Washington Public Power Supply System’s attempt to pull off America's most complicated construction project is a fascinating mix of civil service, bad estimates, nuclear immaturity, and just plain mismanagement. In this video, a good old-fashioned American nuclear energy debacle.

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