Nuclear Power Plants are Safe

671 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Nuclear energy after world war

Nuclear fission was discovered in the 1930s and, with that discovery it opened the doors to an exciting new field of energy production. When first discovered, it was so misunderstood that some children’s toys actually included live radioactive material. However, we learned from our mistakes and moved forward. Today, nuclear reactors that produce electricity for the populace are common in big cities, in some rural areas, but how safe are they really? This question is being brought up again by the events in Japan with the nuclear reactors there. Are the reactors in use today any safer and are we in any danger from them? When the word nuclear reactor is mentioned in passing today, it is usually associated with giant, concrete cooling towers emitting torrents of steam, a mushroom cloud rising high into the sky, or even Homer Simpson asleep at the control panel. Nuclear energy is so much more than that. When first discovered it was praised as being a low-cost, low mission alternative to fossil fuels, which is extremely good for the entire, but today with the threat of nuclear meltdowns, safety has become a key issue. ”In the United States, 104 nuclear power plants supply 20% of the electricity overall, with some states benefiting more than others.” (Brain, Lamb 1) With that many reactors in the United States alone, people have a right to know if operations are conducted safely. That information can be quite worrying to some, but when we actually look at the track record of nuclear power, another side is told. In the World Nuclear Association’s Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors it states there have been two major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power - Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. One was contained without harm... ... middle of paper ... ...d Robert Lamb. "HowStuffWorks "How Nuclear Power Works"" HowStuffWorks - Learn How Everything Works! Web. 17 Mar. 2011. . World Nuclear Association. "Safety of Nuclear Reactors." World Nuclear Association | Nuclear Power - a Sustainable Energy Resource. Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. . Sanger, David E., Matthew L. Wald, and Hiroko Tabuchi. "US Calls Radiation 'Extremely High;' Sees Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsening." The New York Times 17 Mar. 2011. New York Times. 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 Mar. 2011. . "Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Oversight of Nuclear Power Plant Safety Has Improved, but Refinements Are Needed: GAO-06-1029." GAO Reports (2006): 1. Business Source Premier. EBSCO. Web. 18 Mar. 2011.

Show More
Related

  • Chernobyl Disaster

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    This has been the worst nuclear disaster the whole world has ever witnessed. The explosion at Chernobyl and its harmful effects on public health and to nature could have been avoided, but instead were made possible because of a political system that cultivated secrets and that did not judge useful to prioritize the development of enforceable safety methods to adapt to the operation of nuclear reactors. The long-term effects to humans affected by the radiation of the disaster have not been able to determine with exactitude, not even after more than twenty years. There are many more negative consequences expected to those people affected and people living in those areas where radiation still is present.

    Read More

  • The Chernobyl Disaster

    1809 Words  | 4 Pages

    The seemingly limitless power of the atom has been exploited by scientist around the world ever since the Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima on August 6th 1945 and dropped the second atomic bomb, revealing to the world this new form of energy. The key to harnessing the energy from nuclear fission in a stable reaction soon followed, starting the Nuclear age. Russia, emerging as a superpower and major industrial center found special needs for nuclear fission. From the period of 1980-1990, the Russian Federation’s Gross Democratic Product grew 2.8% each year, comparable to the United State’s 2.9% each year. To fuel this growth, the only cheap, affordable, efficient energy production means was nuclear energy. The fission of 1 lb of uranium-235 produces as much energy as 1,500 tons of coal. The Cold War only escalated this demand, and soon, reactors served dual purposes of providing energy, as well as producing weapons grade plutonium. In fact, the first reactors were designed to manufacture plutonium, not to generate electricity. Everything has its flaws though, and nuclear energy was no exception, with one of the heaviest reprucussions in the event of an accident. April 26th, 1986 is an excellent example of that. Chernobyl was not the first nuclear reactor mishap the world has encountered, but it was definitely the worst for many years to come. Previous accidents such as Three Mile Island in the United States, Indian Point near New York, and a partial meltdown at Leningrad predated Chernobyl. However, the 100 million curies of radiation emitted by the RMBK-1000 reactor put Chernobyl on an entirely different scale compared to the previous accidents. Failure to effectively prevent, contain, and effectively respond to the radiation emit...

    Read More

  • Nuclear Technology After the World War II

    953 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...nce World War II to the present day, the technology of nuclear power has increased significantly in terms of energy output and safety. The energy efficiency of nuclear power is far superior to its counterpart fossil fuel and renewable energy. Compared to fossil fuels, tiny amounts of fuel used by nuclear reactors is equivalent to a large sum of coal. This is a no brainer. Why mine a ton of coal when a little uranium can be used to gain the same amount of energy? Not only is it efficient, it’s safe to use. Used fuel is packed away in storage safely, so there isn’t any chance of radiation leaking out. In the present day, nuclear power incidents haven’t been occurring lately. Advancements in technology and equipment used have made nuclear energy a very reliable and safe source of energy. With today’s energy needs, nuclear power has the ability to keep up in the race.

    Read More

  • Nuclear Power Essay

    698 Words  | 2 Pages

    The purpose of this report is to investigate the different views and opinions on the safeness and cost effectiveness of nuclear power compared to other forms of energy. This report will explain the issues and background of the debate, the importance of the issue, and the parties who are involved in this debate with their thoughts.

    Read More

  • Nuclear Power Plants: The Misconceptions Of Nuclear Power Plants

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    The nuclear plants that are in the US today are much safer than the old plants that were built in the Soviet Union. Safety procedures and containment protocols for radiation are now the norm, and many safety measures are now in place. These steps to make nuclear plants safer for everyone are evidenced by the amount of nuclear accidents that have taken place since new safety measures have been put in place. There have only been three nuclear accidents related to power plants since nuclear energy has started being utilized around the globe. Nuclear power plants have been generating electricity for over sixty years and there have only been three incidents related to them.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Nuclear Power

    1966 Words  | 4 Pages

    Most people have bad feelings towards nuclear power because of three major incidents, Three-mile Island in 1979, Chernobyl in 1986, and more recently Fukushima in 2011. It is because of these events that many dislike the idea of nuclear power and have a misunderstanding of what actually happened in these events. According to the World Nuclear Association, “These three significant accidents occurred during more than 16,000 reactor-years of civil operation. Of all the accidents and incidents, only the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents resulted in radiation doses to the public greater than those resulting from the exposure to natural sources. The Fukushima accident resulted in some radiation exposure of workers at the plant, but not such as to threaten their health, unlike Chernobyl. Other incidents (and one 'accident ') have been completely confined to the plant.” (WNA). Each plant had its problems, but the only plant to actually cause damage and the loss of human life was the ukraine reactor in Chernobyl. According to WNA, what happened during the meltdown was that the staff running the reactor did not follow the correct procedure and when they were supposed to follow through with one action they neglected to stop something from happening, therefore resulting in the meltdown of only one reactor out of four. The total meltdown could have been easily prevented if the engineers running the plant had followed through with all plant procedures. The meltdown was an unfortunate accident and many nations turned from nuclear power soon afterwards until more recently when the technology to handle all possible situations with the most extreme care. The United states is best known for its procedures with rectors. The US has set in plans to handle any and all actions for the possible event of a nuclear situation. According to the Nuclear Safeguards Infrastructure Development and

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Nuclear Waste

    1753 Words  | 4 Pages

    “There are 61 commercially operating nuclear power plants with 99 nuclear reactors in 30 states in the United States” (U.S Energy Information Administration). An energy crisis is going on right now. This crisis includes the consumption of fossil fuels that leave the world free of pollution, while still creating the same amount of energy. The idea of using nuclear energy came around the 1960’s as countries who were involved in World War II needed to get an upper hand on weapons, specifically bombs. This was made possible when german scientists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman fired neutrons into uranium 235, which in turn led to the discovery of a self-sustaining chain reaction. This experiment led to the creation of the atomic bomb and the nuclear

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Global Warming

    1579 Words  | 4 Pages

    Media coverage of such cases have made the public less comfortable with the idea of moving further towards nuclear power and they only opt for reducing human activities to reduce global warming. It is true that there have been some notable disasters involving nuclear power, but compared to other power systems, nuclear power has an impressive track record. First, it is less harmful and second, it will be able to cater for the growing world population. Nuclear power produces clean energy and it delivers it at a cost that is competitive in the energy market (Patterson). According to the US Energy Information Administration, there are currently 65 such plants in the Unite States (National Research Council). They produce 19 percent of the total US energy generation.

    Read More

  • Nuclear Power

    3304 Words  | 7 Pages

    As our population increases, so will our demand for electricity. Air conditioners, computers, televisions, microwaves, and many other appliances have become necessities for Americans. All methods of producing electricity have drawbacks. As the earth becomes warmer, we must look for ways to decrease our use of fossil fuels. There are several ways to produce electricity without releasing air pollution. The most feasible method at this time is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy presents a safe, clean, and inexpensive alternative to other methods of producing electricity. Nuclear waste can either be reprocessed or disposed of safely, provided certain precautions are taken.

    Read More

  • It Could Happen Here

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    America needs to pay better attention to what is happening in Japan. This is our opportunity to learn and prepare our own Nuclear Plants in the event of such a crisis. We currently have 100 commercial nuclear power reactor units licensed to operate in the U.S. These operate in 31 of the 48 contiguous states. The nuclear power reactor units provide the U.S. with approximately 20 percent of its electricity. By reviewing Americas history of some recent natural disasters, I intend to build a case that an incident such as Fukushima could happen her in the U.S. I find it essential that these lessons be taken seriously to strengthen nuclear safety and it eventually leading to a complete phasing out of nuclear energy.

    Read More

  • Chernobyl

    451 Words  | 1 Pages

    Nuclear power has always been a controversial issue because of its inherent danger and the amount of waste that the plants produce. Once considered a relatively safe form for generating energy, nuclear power has caused more problems than it has solved. While it has reduced the amount of traditional natural resources (fossil fuels), used to generate power like coal, wood, and oil, nuclear generating plants have become anachronisms. Maintaining them and keeping them safe has become a problem of immense proportion. As the plants age and other technology becomes available, what to do with these “eyesores” is a consuming issue for many government agencies and environmental groups. No one knows what to do about the problem and in many areas of the world, another nuclear meltdown is an accident waiting to happen. Despite a vast array of safety measures, a break in reactor pipe or a leak in a containment vessel, could spell another environmental disaster for the world.

    Read More

  • Positive Effects of Nuclear Power

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    The use of nuclear power in the mid-1980s was not a popular idea on account of all the fears that it had presented. The public seemed to have rejected it because of the fear of radiation. The Chernobyl accident in the Soviet Union in April of 1986 reinforced the fears, and gave them an international dimension (Cohen 1). Nevertheless, the public has to come to terms that one of the major requirements for sustaining human progress is an adequate source of energy. The current largest sources of energy are the combustion of coal, oil, and natural gas. Fear of radiation may push nuclear power under the carpet but another fear of the unknown is how costly is this going to be? If we as the public have to overcome the fear of radiation and costly project, we first have to understand the details of nuclear energy. The known is a lot less scary then the unknown. If we could put away all the presumptions we have about this new energy source, then maybe we can understand that this would be a good decision for use in the near future.

    Read More

  • Nuclear Power Argumentative Essay

    946 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nuclear Energy is a potentially potent source of energy but still an unknown, unsafe entity that cannot be performed in a timely manner and the risks outweigh the potential. Though the 21st century is widespread with electronic devices and an ever-growing population, the thirst for electricity can be quenched by renewable resources. Men and women across the United States need to say NO to nuclear power because it cannot be performed in a timely manner, is a safety risk, and there are far more economical ways of producing energy that do not produce as much waste. The first and one of the main reasons for not wanting nuclear power in the United States is that with the continuity of nuclear power, what also comes with it are nuclear weapons.

    Read More

  • Nuclear Power: Dirty, Dangerous and Expensive

    3279 Words  | 7 Pages

    The energy industry is beginning to change. In today’s modern world, governments across the globe are shifting their focuses from traditional sources of power, like the burning coal and oil, to the more complex and scientific nuclear power supply. This relatively new system uses powerful fuel sources and produces little to no emissions while outputting enough energy to fulfill the world’s power needs (Community Science, n.d.). But while nuclear power seems to be a perfect energy source, no power production system is without faults, and nuclear reactors are no exception, with their flaws manifesting in the form of safety. Nuclear reactors employ complex systems involving pressure and heat. If any of these systems dysfunctions, the reactor can leak or even explode releasing tons of highly radioactive elements into the environment. Anyone who works at or near a nuclear reactor is constantly in danger of being exposed to a nuclear incident similar to the ones that occurred at the Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi plants. These major accidents along with the unresolved problems with the design and function of nuclear reactors, as well as the economic and health issues that nuclear reactors present serve to show that nuclear energy sources are not worth the service that they provide and are too dangerous to routinely use.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Nuclear Power

    1546 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nuclear power, the use of exothermic nuclear processes to produce an enormous amount of electricity and heat for domestic, medical, military and industrial purposes i.e. “By the end of 2012 2346.3 kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity was generated by nuclear reactors around the world” (International atomic energy agency Vienna, 2013, p.13). However, with that been said it is evident that the process of generating electricity from a nuclear reactor has numerous health and environmental safety issues.

    Read More

More about Nuclear Power Plants are Safe

Open Document