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The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power Plants

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Nuclear energy is the energy released during nuclear fission or fusion, especially when used to generate electricity. In order for humans to obtain this energy, they must build nuclear power plants. These plants are very costly: “Life cycle costs for nuclear power generation (in the USA) have been estimated at 12 cents a kilowatt hour, whereas life cycle costs for wind power in the same analysis is estimated at 4 cents a kilowatt hour” (Olson 2). Not only do nuclear power plants cost a lot of money to make and run, they also take up a lot of space. In nuclear power plants there are machines called nuclear reactors. This is where elements undergo fission. In nuclear reactors, certain changes happen, and the particles that are left over from these changes are very radioactive. This causes great danger to humans because certain radiation can penetrate the skin and damage living cells, possibly causing them to become cancerous which leads to serious health problems. Excessive radiation is not only harmful to humans, it also affects animals and the environment. Too much radiation is very harmful and can kill several different kinds …show more content…

The TED video stated, “ If we build these nuclear power plants, all that waste is going to be on hundreds, if not thousands, of trucks and trains, moving through the country everyday. They are going to have accidents that can put materials into the environment that is poisonous for hundreds of thousands of years. Those trucks and trailers are also a potential terrorist target” (TED Talk). Accidents will always happen and if, and when, nuclear waste accidents occur, they could be devastating. They would release an amount of radiation into the air that is harmful for humans, animals, and the environment. Also, these trucks carrying harmful amounts of radiation can put a major target on our country concerning

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