Power plants burn fuel to produce heat to generate energy; however, nuclear power plants use the heat given off fission to turn water into steam. Nuclear energy is without a doubt a great way to power our homes because, Nuclear power plants are safer than other energy alternatives. Nuclear plants are safer than other energy alternatives. Coal is responsible for five times more deaths than nuclear power plants, coal also causes over one thousands more serious causes of illness than nuclear. Nuclear plants produce steam while coal plants, heat water by burning coal that produces greenhouse emissions.
Over 20 percent of the energy in the United States comes from nuclear energy power plants. (Rinkesh, 2018) They so their best to get as much energy to the country as possible, but there are those out there who don’t agree with them. While there are downsides to nuclear energy, the pros vastly outweigh the cons. Nuclear power plants are a great way to get energy because they don’t let out much pollution, are very efficient, and are very safe.
Commonly, Nuclear Power plant generates electricity with minimum emissions that are detrimental to the environment. It works on the concept of Nuclear fission -Splitting of a single Uranium-235 atom by the incident of a neutron leads to the release of ~200 MeV of energy, a significant 200 million times more than an energy released from a chemical reaction. Pressurized water reactor (PWR) is the widely installed class in the fleet of nuclear power plants across the world. PWR uses 4~5 % of enriched U-235 as fuel and water as moderator and coolant. The energy released from the fission boils the water and generates high enthalpy steam.
Nuclear power plants are all over the U.S., with 99 nuclear reactors in 30 of the U.S. states, but what are nuclear power plants? Nuclear power stations are thermal, which means they get the energy from heat. These power stations heat up and make steam, which turn turbines and conduct electricity. The Palo Verde located in Tonopah Arizona is the largest power plant in the U.S. with three nuclear reactors and averagely gives off 3.3 gigawatts. As fuel, nuclear power plants use uranium which releases high amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when mined.
No one seems to think much about the nuclear power plants in the U.S.- at least, not until there are stories of meltdowns, explosions, and potential attacks on the news. The people behind the power plants can promise less carbon dioxide production through their plants, but they cannot promise there won’t be any accidents dealing with the very same plants. The people behind the nuclear power plants will most likely tell you the energy from these plants is the nation’s best choice- after all, the plants won’t produce CO2, and because of that, they won’t produce air pollution. Unfortunately, some of the people that agree with the idea of setting up more plants don’t consider the risks in the nuclear power, or the fact that renewable sources
The heat then boils water, which creates steam that is needed to move the blades of a machine called the turbine. The turbine is connected to a power generator, which produces electricity. Also, a condenser cools down the boiling water inside the reactor so it can be recycled. One benefit of using nuclear power is the fact that nuclear power is 10% of our global energy.
Following a major earthquake, a 15 meter tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Nuclear power plant reactors, causing a nuclear accident on March 11, 2011. All three cores largely melted in the first three days. It released a lot of radioactivity into the area and into the water. I think that by now you can guess the purpose of my speech. Nuclear power and Nuclear power plants.
When you think of clean energy most people will think of wind, especially in Alberta where the wind is always blowing, but it can take from fifteen years up to a couple hundred years, if it not placed correctly, for the wind mill to pay for its self. So what is the most environmentally friendly and efficient type of power? Its nuclear power. Most people do not believe this because of the few negative things that are associated with, such as Chernobyl. Although this was a tragedies that caused many deaths it is an extremely rare situation.
Ever since nuclear power became a legitimate source of electricity, its use has polarized into 2 main positions. The proponents of nuclear power talk about the financial and environmental benefits while the opponents talk about plant meltdowns like Fukushima, Chernobyl, or Three Mile Island. While the opposition is correct in saying that nuclear meltdowns pose a danger to society, there are many important and details left out in their argument like the consequences of current conventional forms of electricity generation and the tight regulation on nuclear plants. Currently in the US, many regulations and procedures are conducted by individual states. In Michigan in 2016, Gov. Snyder released a proposal to close the Palisades Nuclear power plant.
Nuclear power when used properly can be a boon to societies providing a plentiful source of energy with relatively little waste, however, history has shown that when not handled with the utmost of care nuclear power plant explosions can be devastating. The two major nuclear power plant accidents in history, which have been classified as level 7 events, are The Chernobyl disaster in 1986, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011. The of both explosions can be felt to this day as Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus continue to pay substantial decontamination and health care costs of the Chernobyl accident. Japan still feels the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster’s effects although much less so. Currently another radioactive
Nuclear power plants can be dangerous,but they also can provide many jobs for people. I am against Nuclear power plants,they can cause deaths,but not many have been proven. Why am I against this? I am against Nuclear power plants,because just because they haven't been proven,does not mean one wouldn't happen in the near future. I think when working at a Nuclear power plant,you need to be cautious around chemicals.
The invention that has affected our lives the most is nuclear power plants. It may provide us energy, but have you noticed how dangerous, very expensive, and dirty it is? One reason nuclear plants are dangerous is because it can or will release enormous amounts of radiation into communities. If radiation is released many people will have to evacuate. Many of them may never come back.
Scientists believe that unless we can cap the emission of greenhouse gases, global warming will accelerate. Coal energy currently produces 44% of world’s electricity, but nuclear power only supplies 12.3% of world’s electricity. Although coal energy supplies the majority of electricity, compared to nuclear power, coal energy emits a greater amount of CO2 that could cause global warming. Therefore, for these few years, the electricity produced by nuclear power has a noticeable increase. According to Nuclear Energy Institute, it states that 12.3 percent of world’s electricity is provided by nuclear power.
Why nuclear power should not be a part of the “green shift” of energy sources There seems to be agreement amongst experts that today’s greatest global threat is climate change and the effects it will bring. In an attempt to ensure sustainable development and reduce the impacts of global warming, more than 150 world leaders have adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While several of these goals can be related to climate change, this paper will focus mainly on the 7th. This goal is to by 2030: “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”.
Sometimes being an environmental activist is not the easiest job in the world, but it is mostly fun if you make it that way. Each day differs. One day you might have people standing with you and shouting chants on the streets, or people bashing you and telling you, “you’re crazy”. As I have traveled across the world, I have had the pleasurable experience of meeting new friends and informing people of the cons of having a nuclear power plant in our world. I also have attended many protests, assemblies, and meetings, and have spoken at them.
