Nuclear Power VS Fossil Fuel (Part 2)

What is nuclear energy? How it generates power?

Nuclear energy is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom. The energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms in a process called fission. At the power plant, the fission process is used to generate heat for producing steam, which is used by a turbine to generate electricity. Nuclear energy is cleaner while generating electricity. Nuclear fission provides energy without releasing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Since nuclear power plants use so little fuel, the volume of nuclear waste is much smaller  the volume of waste from fossil fuel power plants.  Eventhough nuclear waste is highly radioactive, its small volume enables safe isolation from society. 

What is the disadvantage of using Nuclear Energy?

• Nuclear power has some disadvantages worthy of attention: Nuclear power plants have dangerously high radioactive levels.  The radioactivity is entirely contained within the plant, but the possibility exists that some of it might leak to the outside environment during an accident.  Over time, new designs, stricter regulations and better  technology are reducing the risk of radioactive leaks
• Waste produced by the power plant must be disposed somewhere, but it remains intensely  radioactive for long periods of time.  Therefore, nuclear waste must be permanently isolated from society in special facilities.  Building suitable facilities requires a lot of time and money to ensure complete isolation
• New nuclear power plant designs take a long time to implement.  This time delay is due to multiple regulatory agencies and boards of approval that the nuclear industry must satisfy
• At the end of their lifetimes, usually about 40 years of operation, nuclear power plants must be decommissioned.  Plant materials remain fairly radioactive for many years after operation has ceased, so disassembly cannot occur until the levels return to a safe range.  This waiting period usually takes about 20 years
• Anti-nuclear activists believe that the nuclear industry greatly increases the chance of plutonium theft.  Conceivably, terrorists could steal stores of plutonium and attempt to make a nuclear weapon.  To deter such an endeavor, plutonium is weighed before and after shipment.  Furthermore, constructing a nuclear weapon requires extreme expertise.  Still, the possibility does exist.

These disadvantages include some serious issues that cannot be ignored.  Equally important, though, are the advantages that nuclear power offers.  Unlike some of the disadvantages, the positive aspects of nuclear power are based upon facts rather than slim probabilities. 

What is the major advantage of using Nuclear Energy?

• Nuclear power plants emit far fewer atmospheric pollutants than the competition.  They do not emit any sodium dioxide, nitrogen oxide or dust from burning fuel.
• Nuclear power plants do not emit any carbon dioxide, the gas widely believed to be the  primary contributor to the greenhouse effect.  The greenhouse effect, of course, causes global warming.  In the United States, coal-fired power plants release approximately 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year.  However, the limit and even the existence of global warming is still the subject of much debate.
• Nuclear power plants only need refueling once every year to 18 months.  The new store of fuel constitutes about 2 metric tons, or 6 truckloads of uranium.  Coal power plants require a new trainload of about 100 tons of coal every day
• According to PBS Online, US nuclear power is not responsible for any deaths in its entire history. Due to mining accidents and respiratory complications, over 30 thousand deaths have been attributed to US coal mining since the 1930's
• Since nuclear power plants use so little fuel, the volume of nuclear waste is much smaller than the volume of waste from fossil fuel power plants.  Even though nuclear waste is highly radioactive, its small volume enables safe isolation from society
• Nuclear power is economically competitive with coal, and generally considered much cheaper than oil or natural gas.  In one joint study by several agencies and independent groups, 11 out of 19 counties found nuclear power to be at least 10% cheaper than coal- fired power.  7 more of the countries found the prices to be nearly equivalent

Source: http://128.143.168.25/classes/200R/Projects/Fall_1997/NuclearPower