Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear energy is an efficient way to reduce the amount of CO2 in the environment. Nuclear energy saves of 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2 if that same amount of energy was made from burning coal. For every 22 tonnes of uranium used in the nuclear power plant, one million tonnes of CO2 emissions isn’t put into the environment. If the world doubled its nuclear output, it would reduce CO2 emissions by about a fourth. Nuclear energy uses less than 6% of their output energy to make their nuclear power plant run. Wind power would usually cost up to two times more per kWh than nuclear power plants.

Many people fear nuclear energy. Some fear that the transportation of uranium and other radioactive substance is dangerous, but these hazardous materials are transported in containers tested to withstand drop-and-puncture, fire, and water-immersion tests. These checks make sure that the radioactive materials are safe even if the driver or train got in a harsh accident.

Others fear that technology may get in the wrong hands and allow enemy countries to make atomic bombs and nuclear weapons. All the uranium that is traded is sold for electricity manufacturing use only. The international safeguards arrangements confirm these trades. The western countries that sell the uranium do not have a single customer failing to meet requirements that the international safeguards set in place.

Some may think that uranium mines pollute the environment. Any water that is released in the mines is near/close to drinking standards. Tailings retention doesn’t usually cause pollution off site. Most countries highly regulate uranium mining, and standards in the mines make sure that no bad health effects on the miners are likely.

Much more people fear that there will be an accident in a nuclear power plant near them like the one in Chernobyl or Three Mile Island. Any nuclear power plant in the west has a large containment structure, pressure vessel, and internal structures that will prevent or