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The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power

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Today, there are 440 operating nuclear reactors around the world, plus 65 more under construction, according the World Nuclear Association. With its rising popularity, concerns regarding nuclear power are also rising. The arguments of opponents who perceive nuclear power as “unstable” and “unsafe” seem to be overpowering, but the bright side of nuclear power actually overweighs its dark side.

Opponents of nuclear power say: “Nuclear reactors are too dangerous because of the radiation exposure”. According to a study, a majority stated that they think of the word: “disaster” or “bad” when thinking about nuclear power, and try to prevent living or working near a nuclear power reactor due to the radiation exposure. Such a fear has been created …show more content…

It has a high initial cost, but the operating cost is low compared to major energy sources like coal, oil, and gas because the energy output of nuclear reactors is greater for the same amount of resources used and the operating efficiency is greatest at 91% compared to 63% for coal, 45% for natural gas, 28% for wind, and 24% for solar. In fact, energy generated from 1 gram of Uranium-235 is equal to the amount of energy generated from 3 tons of coal. Also, the cost of processed Uranium is one fifth of the cost of using coal to fuel a power plant and one third of a gas powered plant. So, the energy production cost, which includes all the costs of using an energy source, of nuclear power is only 2.4 cents/kWh, while for coal, gas, and oil it’s 3.27 cents/kWh, 3.4 cents/kWh, and 23 cents/kWh respectively. With low production costs, nuclear power contributes to the economy positively: nuclear reactors in the United States makes a revenue of 40- 50 billion every year also contribute $67 million of tax each year. It must be acknowledged that it’s only fair that developing countries considering the construction of nuclear reactors, like Egypt, Bangladesh, and Vietnam get access to equal opportunities of using a nuclear reactor which could provide economic benefits and be the key to developing the country in

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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.

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Accessed 22 Jan. 2018. This article makes several statements on why nuclear energy is more efficient than our regular fossil fuel energy. It states that if citizens want to have clean air and reduce the amount of carbon emissions making our nuclear program stronger and bigger than it is now should be everyone's goal. This articles information is directly from the New York Times paper. The article also used information from multiple government and federal established organizations.

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The Cambridge Dictionaries Online defines sleepaway camp as “a place where children can go to stay without their parents and do activities”. As someone who never gone to sleepaway camp, I have a somewhat biased view of sleepaway camps as something that is not healthy for children, but as a writer, I have done research on sleepaway topics to see how people today in the 21st century view it. When a child goes to sleepaway camp, they have a chance to meet kids who are different from friends in their hometown, but on the other hand, they miss valuable time with their parents that they don’t get during the school year especially if at least one of the parents don’t work at a full-time job. Parents can do as much research as they want to the camp they could be sending their children to but they there

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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

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The argument that nuclear power plants are good is because it is said that they produce a massive about of energy, but that amount of energy comes with cons also. With the energy produced deadly radiation is also produced along with other negative things. Nuclear power plants are not good to have because it produces an extreme amount of energy and requires an extreme amount of heat and pressure to occur. The area around the power plant receives radiation every day. The elements used to create the reaction are not renewable and what is found is the only resource

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Nuclear power plants provide cheap, clean, and efficient energy and new technology might soon overcome the current drawbacks. Disasters like the ones at Chernobyl and Fukushima have long given nuclear energy an ill-deserved reputation. It produces no greenhouse gases and only trace amounts of radiation at a comparable price to coal power. However, the large initial cost and the potential for meltdowns has prevented nuclear energy from growing to supply a significant portion of the world’s electricity. Safety features on current nuclear reactors make a nuclear disaster highly unlikely, but technological advances could soon negate those risks completely.

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A recent report done by the Union of Concerned Scientists (2009) reports that “between 2002 and 2008, for example, cost estimates for new nuclear plant construction rose from between $2 billion and $4 billion per unit to $9 billion per unit” (p. 2). These costs are so expensive that they require government assistance and incentives in order to get them financed and built. Koehler, David, Paine, and Cochran (2005) estimate that more than $65 billion in taxpayer subsidies are provided for the nuclear power industry. This is more than what any other industry out there receives, yet Koehler et al., point out that even with these substantial subsidies, nuclear power plants are still costly to construct. Rather than using this money that taxpayers pay for to fund nuclear plants, it should instead be redirect to other alternative sources that have a greater potential (Koehler, et al.,

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Unlike solar panels that cost hundreds of dollars, nuclear energy is cheap and easily made available to families of lower income. According to “Pros

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The risks and benefits of nuclear power need to be carefully weighed before erecting a nuclear power plant. And, if a nuclear power plant is built proper training should be taught and the safety rules need

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3 Average cost of electricity per Kilowatt hour It’s true nuclear power plants are expensive to build, but have you ever thought of how much fuel it might cost to run the plant and how much that fuel costs. Power plants of this type use Uranium, a very expensive silvery metal. A non-renewable resource, the average cost to buy 1 kg of uranium for fuel is $2,000. You can compare that to rocket fuel, which when all the prices for each element are added up, 1 kg of the fuel is about $4.00. That’s a huge difference.

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Abstract Energy is a resource on which our very society is built around. Energy affects every aspect of our daily lives and is absolutely vital in our survival in the modern world as well as the of the preservation of Earth itself. This research paper will explore nuclear power, our previous understanding what it was, what its effects means for society on both a national and global scale, but most importantly, why nuclear power is the solution to our problems. We must face the reality that we cannot depend on coal, gas and oil for our energy needs if we are to combat global warming. To replace fossil fuels, many energy technologies have been considered, but nuclear fission technology is the only developed energy source that is capable of sustaining

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Lastly, nuclear power is a very viable source of alternative energy because it’s much more affordable then fossil fuels. A big problem with power in our time is that it is very expensive. With nuclear power we can get more energy out of fewer materials which will in turn save money. Douglas Gregory states, “One uranium fuel pellet – typically measuring about 0.3-inch diameter by 0.5-inch long—can produce the equivalent energy of 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 1,780 pounds of coal, or 149 gallons of oil.” (The Use of Nuclear Power Should Be Increased).

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Many people would like to present the issue of Three Mile Island as a reason to refrain from building a new nuclear power plant. In opposition, the logical facts support the premonition that the nuclear power accidents do not make nuclear power dangerous, but in fact, more understood. With each new accident, people grow more comprehensive on how to keep nuclear power plants safe. There have been approximately 57 nuclear accidents since the beginning of the existence of nuclear power plants. Howbeit, I look at these accidents as ways to learn.

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Additionally, nuclear reactors are not geographically constrained unlike solar and wind which need specific locations in order to operate at their maximum efficiency. Modern reactors need a constant supply of fresh water to keep them cool. Anywhere there is a large supply of water opens up the ability for someone to put a nuclear reactor in that

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