Pre-Fukushima, a report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), “The Future of Nuclear Power, 2003,” as well as a study by researchers at the University of Chicago, established that nuclear energy was 50-100% more expensive than energy from coal or gas. The report of the Working Group on Power of the Planning Commission of India puts the cost of energy from the country’s coal-based plants at about one-third lower than nuclear power, with gas 50% cheaper.
对远超预期严重后果的忧虑拖累了反应堆价格。福岛核事故发生前，麻省理工学院报告“核能的未来，2003”以及芝加哥大学研究报告认为，核能比煤炭或天然气能源贵50-100%。印度能源规划委员会工作组报告认为印度燃煤电厂的能源成本约比核电厂低三分之一，燃气电厂则能节约50%成本。