Nuclear Energy Meltdown At Three Mile Island And Chernobyl Disaster

Despite the negative publicity of incidents such as the reactor meltdown at Three Mile Island and the Chernobyl disaster, nuclear power remains a viable source of energy. Nuclear power produces large amounts of energy without damaging the environment with large amounts of carbon dioxide. In addition, nuclear power is more economical than traditional energy sources. Not only does it cost less to produce, it benefits the economy by creating new employment positions. Finally, nuclear energy results in fewer deaths each year than traditional fossil fuel sources. Nuclear power plants provide a valuable alternative to fossil fuel plants because they do not release tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is an important environmental factor because carbon dioxide contributes to climate change. Not only do nuclear plants produce less carbon dioxide than coal burning plants, they actually release less radioactivity when they are working properly (Brain). Clearly, the environment benefits more from the use of nuclear power plants rather than fossil fuel plants.

Nuclear fission creates a million times more energy than coal (Brain). In addition, nuclear power outperforms wind and solar power while costing less to produce (Burgess). Opponents may argue that the cost goes up when construction costs, maintenance costs, and long-term storage of radioactive waste is factored into the equation. However, that line of thinking fails to acknowledge that there are start-up costs for any energy source. Coal plants have to be constructed for fossil fuels to be used. Windmills must be constructed for wind power, and solar panels must be manufactured for solar power. Further, the construction and maintenance costs for nuclear power plants, along with the similar expenses of nuclear waste storage facilities, benefit the economy by creating new employment