Nuclear Energy

Pros and Cons

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Pros of Nuclear Power:

* Nuclear power emits relatively low levels of carbon dioxide, which does not add the amount of greenhouse gases currently contributing to global warming, and does not emit sulfur or precipitates. Instead, nuclear power plants use steam to drive turbine generators, which simply emits clean steam into the atmosphere.

* Waste from nuclear power is contained and managed more easily. Although the question of where to dispose of wastes is currently in debate, the wastes are not freely released into the air, as are the wastes from burning of fossil fuels.

* In comparison, nuclear power plants produce 2,000 tons of solid waste annually; whereas coal fueled power plants produce 100 million tons annually. For every 22 tons of nuclear power used instead of coal, one million tons of carbon dioxide are prevented from being emitted.

* There is a much larger supply of uranium in the Earth's crust than there is fossil fuel. About 40, 000 tons of uranium are mined each year, and innovations in technology can increase uranium's efficiency by 60 times today's use.

* France, who uses nuclear power as 78% of its energy supply, is now a major exporter of energy and has a high level of energy independence. Also, the price of electricity has decreased and the per capita dioxide emissions have been halved.

* Nuclear power plants rely on little fuel to run on. Although they are expensive to build, they are relatively inexpensive to maintain. Overall, the power plant itself is cost-effective, as opposed to a oil fueled power plant which is quick and inexpensive to build, but much more expensive to maintain, especially considering the fluctuation of oil prices.

* If built and operated correctly, nuclear power plants are much safer than other energy methods. Many safety mechanisms are used to ensure the safety of the plant, such as a barrier between the reactor core and the outside, a thick concrete wall surrounding the pressure vessel. Also used are radiation or humidity sensors to detect leaks, and an Emergency Core Cooling System to ensure cooling of the reactor.

Cons of Nuclear Power:

* Chance of a meltdown occurring, as in the events of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. In a meltdown, the rods that contain the uranium would overheat and melt, due to a loss of coolant water. This could release the radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere, similar to the event in Chernobyl.

* Using nuclear power increases the risk of human interaction with radiation. Nuclear power releases both low level radiation, to which humans are regularly exposed, and high level radiation, which can be released from uranium waste. Too much direct radiation can cause DNA mutations, birth defects, hemorrhaging, and other serious health effects.

* One specific problem is human interaction with radon. Radon is a natural source of radiation from the Earth's crust. The problem arises when radon is exposed by uranium mining, which leaves "mill tailings," the residue from the chemical processing of the uranium ore. However, mining radon out of the ground will avert more deaths by reducing the number of future exposures. Coal burning leaves ash, on the other hand, that will increase the amount of radon exposures in the future.

* There is a problem of where to dispose of the nuclear waste once it has been used, but is still highly radioactive for thousands of years. The ideal method is to encase the radioactive control rod in stainless steel, then buried in stable rock structures permanently. Currently, the used control rods are being stored temporarily in controlled pools of water.

* Another problem is the development of nuclear weapons. During the Cold War advancements in nuclear innovations led to competition between nations called the "Arms Race". Nuclear bombs were a common product of the Arms Race, which were powerful enough to destroy a country if used. The power of nuclear weapons could be abused.