(Image left: 3 mile island nuclear power plant. From: http://papundits. files.wordpress.com /2009/04/ph_three_ mile_island500.jpg)
Background Information – Nuclear Power
What is nuclear Power?
Nuclear power is energy which is produced with the use of a controlled nuclear reaction. Many nations use nuclear power plants to generate electricity for both civilian and military use, and some nations also utilize nuclear power to run parts of their naval fleets, especially submarines. Some people favor an expansion of nuclear power plants because this form of energy is considered cleaner than fossil fuels such as coal, although nuclear power comes with a number of problems which must be addressed, including the safe disposal of radioactive waste products.
The process of generation nuclear power starts with the mining and processing of uranium and other radioactive elements. These elements are used to feed the reactor of a nuclear power plant, as seen right, generating a reaction known as fission which creates intense heat, turning water in the plant into steam. The steam powers steam turbines, which generate electricity and feed the electricity into the electrical grid. A diagram of these processes is on the next page.
Here it becomes clearer what happens inside a nuclear power plant, and the process is a lot simpler that you thought. However, simple doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, definitely not in this case, as I will be mentioning in the disadvantages section a little later on.
(Image from: http://www.freeinfosociety.com/images/science/nuclearenergy1.jpg)
Nuclear energy is not just produced directly on plants. When nuclear power is used to power something like a submarine, the reactor runs the engines, with the steam directly powering the engines. In both cases, the reactor requires careful supervision, because runaway nuclear reactions must be stopped as quickly as possible to prevent serious problems. Many nuclear power plants have extensive automated systems which help to identify potential trouble spots, and these systems can also re-route power, turn off parts of the plant, and perform other tasks which make the plant safer and cleaner.
Advantages of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power plants are more efficient than ever before. New technology has made them more reliable and safer. Nuclear power reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This is a contentious issue. Proponents of nuclear power argue that, as no coal or fossil fuels are burnt, no carbon dioxide is released into the air.
Although the initial cost of building nuclear plants is high, the running costs are relatively low. One reason the costs are low is that nuclear plants need only a small amount of uranium to produce a lot of energy. In fact, if the cost of uranium doubled, costs would only be increased by 7%. 1 truck of uranium produces as much energy as 1000 trucks of coal!
Nuclear power reduces dependence on foreign oils and natural gas (like biofuels). America, for instance, imports a lot of oil and natural gas from other countries. The price of these products is volatile, and change very quickly. If the price increases quickly, consumers have to pay more for their electricity (which they may not be able to afford). Also, nuclear wastes can be safely stored underground
Disadvantages of Nuclear Power
As you have read, there are many advantages to using uranium, but it has to be mined and transported to the nuclear plant. Both these activities require burning of fuels, so carbon dioxide is released. Also, producing nuclear fuel from the uranium requires a lot of energy, which also contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases.
As seen above, one of the advantages of nuclear power is that it does not produce greenhouses gases. It does, however, produce hazardous waste. Spent nuclear fuel is radioactive and extremely dangerous, requiring a substantial infrastructure to secure the power plant and to handle the fuel. Unfortunately, some nations do not have adequate measures for handling their spent fuel in place, and it is not uncommon to see “temporary” solutions for the storage of nuclear material which last for decades. Below is a photograph of a nuclear waste storage.
The process of mining and refining the necessary radioactive elements used in a nuclear power plant is also not very clean, and these elements require secure transport, which can add to the cost of nuclear power significantly. Several nations have instituted a moratorium on the development of nuclear power until these problems have been addressed. Basically, Nuclear power is dangerous, unclean and very expensive, but there are more advantages than disadvantages, which is why many nations across the world use it.
Evidence – Is Nuclear Power a safe way forward?
Nuclear power looks as if it should be the answer to all our energy conundrums, and perhaps even to climate change. It provides a steady stream of energy, and does not depend on hydrocarbon supplies from unstable regimes. It is the nearest thing we have to a non-polluting energy source, apart from natural renewables. But it still engenders massive distrust, so much that many people say it can never be part of the way to avoid a disastrously warming world.
Nuclear energy has always had its proponents, their ranks swollen now by people who dislike the technology but believe it may be essential. They point out that a reactor emits virtually no carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas released from human activities (though of course building the power station produces a lot of CO2). Because there is no carbon dioxide produced, global warming isn’t effected by nuclear power and so is safe to the environment.
Most people, and almost all scientists say nuclear power is safe, and that the 1957 Windscale fire in the UK, Three Mile Island in the US in 1979, and even Chernobyl (picture above) have killed massively fewer people than the oil and coal industries. Beyond that, they say modern reactors are inherently far safer than those built 20 or 30 years ago, reducing a small risk still further. Supporters say uranium prices have remained steady for decades, meaning nuclear energy is far more secure than fossil fuels can ever be. And they argue that modern nuclear power systems are far more economic than the older versions, and are therefore a good investment. Safer, last longer, and cheaper to run.
One safety hazard people often talk about is what happens to the waste? The only answer we have come up with so far entails storing the most radioactive waste under guard for millennia, until it has decayed to safe levels. Certainly, there has been a strong awareness of the potential hazard of both nuclear criticality and release of radioactive materials. Below is a photograph of highly radioactive waste storage.
I will talk about the two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power - Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. One was contained without harm to anyone and the other involved an intense fire without provision for containment. These are the only major accidents to have occurred in more than 12,700 cumulative reactor-years of commercial operation in 32 countries. Does this say something? Nuclear power is a safe way to generate electricity? Well, definitely safer than oil and coal industries!
The risks from western nuclear power plants, in terms of the consequences of an accident or terrorist attack, are minimal compared with other commonly accepted risks. Nuclear power plants are very robust. We have a horror of dying in an air crash, but not of driving to the airport along far more dangerous roads. We fear radioactive death, but cock an insouciant snook at the risk of dying painfully from the effects of smoking, or obesity, or alcohol. To that degree, our distrust of nuclear energy may be partly irrational. Basically, Nuclear power is a safe method of creating quick, affordable carbon neutral electricity across the world!
Conclusion
To conclude, I think that I can definitely say that Nuclear power is a safe way forward. The number of deaths from nuclear related accidents is nothing in comparison with oil and coal industries, the number of major accidents is only 2, There is next to no CO2 produced, so its also safer for the environment, and if controlled with expert care, no one is at risk of the radioactive waste material. Not only is it safe, but its cheap to run, and produces much more electricity than other purposes, 20% of Britains electricity!
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