Nuclear Power : A Source Of Energy

The United States needs a change in its energy sources. Oil, first of all, is a scarce resource that will eventually run out, and it also makes the U.S. depend on the political situation in other countries, as can be seen at the frequent changes in oil prices due to the political situation in the Middle-East. Alternative energy sources are an important issue to consider and nuclear energy is certainly the most controversial. There are currently 104 nuclear power plants operating in the United States, but the licenses of those plants will expire in foreseeable future, the first one already in 2013 and the last one in 2046 (Nuclear Energy Inst.). Those expiration dates initiate the discussions if the licenses should be renewed for the plants

Nuclear power is harnessed from the energy retained inside of an atom’s nucleus. This energy bindes the atom together and, when released, can be used to produce electricity. In order for this energy to be released, however, it must be subjected to either nuclear fusion, the combination of several atoms to form one larger atom, or to nuclear fission, the division of larger atoms into several smaller atoms. Nuclear power plants, first introduced in 1954, use this second method in the production of electricity. Inside of a nuclear power plant, uranium atoms are split and their nuclear energy released, creating the heat necessary to produce the steam that powers turbine generators and create electricity. Nuclear energy is often referred to as a “clean” energy source because, unlike fossil fuels, its production does not result in the generation of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Many endorse the use of nuclear energy because it is efficient, providing large amounts of energy in exchange for small amounts of fuel, reliable, as it can be produced almost all day and night, year round, and affordable, costing about 2.4 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2012 compared to fossil fuels, which cost about 3.27 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2012. However, the use of nuclear power also has several significant disadvantages. Its main downside lies in the threats nuclear power plants present in the forms of radioactive waste and nuclear meltdowns.

“Even when nuclear energy is produced without incident, the science itself creates vast quantities of toxic waste, which is impossible to discard” (Dupea, n. pag.). Because of the fact that there is no way to safely dispose of nuclear energy and waste, many issues have arose. There are many more safe and more reliable sources and ways to produce energy that involves less risks. Countries need to eliminate the use of nuclear energy due to the problems it causes. Some of the largest issues with nuclear energy are the building process of nuclear power plants is expensive and time consuming, there are many safety concerns and the potential risks to people and the environment.

Nuclear Power is widely regarded as a viable choice in enabling sustainable development, especially when renewable energy sources remain in their growing stage of development and distribution. Nuclear Power has many benefits compared to f of However, nuclear power also remains one of the most controversial sources of energy. The debates on it are mainly based along the lines of environmental, safety and security.

Nuclear power plants can be very beneficial to people. One reason why they are helpful is because it will bring more jobs to southern Indiana. Another reason why they are beneficial to our community is that it will decrease the Co2 emissions in the air. The third reason that Nuclear power can be beneficial is that it will it will save many lives for various reasons. This is why Nuclear Power can be beneficial.

For many Americans, the electric bill is the most dreaded bill to arrive each month; it is always expensive, yet it doesn’t have to be. To lower electricity costs for citizens and businesses, the Unites States could increase its use of nuclear power. Nuclear energy is created when an unstable radioactive element decays and emits nanoparticles called radiation. With today’s current technology, the emission of these atoms as well as the energy released can be controlled and used in different ways. One such way is in the creation of electricity produced by nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is not renewable; however, it meets every reasonable criterion for sustainability, which is a primary concern for many people. Furthermore, the United States should use nuclear energy as its main source of power for three primary reasons: first, it is the most reliable source of power in the world today. Second, it is more cost effective than any other non-renewable resource and, finally, nuclear energy releases no greenhouse gasses, which contribute to global warming.

New energy sources are invested in every year to produce heat and electricity for the citizens of the United States. However, nuclear power is becoming a much more urgent discussion topic. Nuclear power, or the use of nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity, contributes to nearly 20% of the electricity generated and used in America. According to the Department of Energy, the United States has invested 60 years of their time into nuclear power! But why have we done so? Well, the production of nuclear energy helps produce reliable, low-carbon energy, and supports national defense activities. Additionally, the Department of Energy also works to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of making magnificent contributions in

After the Fukushima Daiichi accident, nuclear power was once again brought into the spotlight with one burning question: Is it worth the risks? Well, I believe it is, and that we can avoid those risks altogether if we do it properly. One of our biggest upcoming problems is climate change, and with solar and wind power not able to provide enough clean power, nuclear is the safe, reliable, realistic, and clean option.

The invention of the nuclear power plant was humanities greatest hopes but biggest fears. The energy is clean and frees us from using fossil fuels but it also screams disaster. There was an earth quake in Japan that caused a nuclear power plant to leak out radioactive steam. However there were 443 operating nuclear power plants in 47 countries in 2011 and in 2009 atomic energy accounted for 14 percent of the world’s energy production. In the United States alone 104 nuclear power plants supply some 20 percent of electricity.

Nuclear energy a reliable economical energy source or a primed radiation storm waiting to rain havoc down on the surroundings below. When you mention nuclear power people 's minds go to Chernobyl,Fukushima, and Three Mile Island meltdown catastrophes. A survey conduct of 27 college aged students shows people continue to believe nuclear energy brings safety concerns to the US due to some risk of danger (see Appendix A.) With nuclear energy comes risks for locals who live near a nuclear power plant, people who live in a country with a nuclear power plant, as well as risk for the entire plant.

Using nuclear energy as an alternate source of the world’s energy is a very controversial topic and has been for decades. While fossil fuels have been used for many years for generating the world’s energy, recently other sources of power have been discovered, tested, and used for many types of energy. Some fossil fuels include: oil, coal, and natural gas. While these fuels have their advantages as very effective, they have downsides such as pollution. Most of the pollution from fossil fuels comes from the combustion of them either in an internal combustion engine or a coal energy generating facility. The world today is very reliant on fossil fuels for many types of energy, and while some say its the only viable

Nuclear energy generates the cheapest electricity. Uranium is also a very inexpensive resource and very little is needed to produce immense amounts of energy (RRC).

While some say nuclear power is risky, the facts prove otherwise. Nuclear energy is often treated as a taboo subject due to misconceptions throughout history by the public, but in actuality, nuclear energy is relatively safe, when practiced correctly. Nuclear energy is a process in which atoms are split, producing heat, which boils water. The steam then turns a turbine to produce electricity. While fission is involved in nuclear bombs, the process in each are both different. The ‘fuel’ used for this process is Uranium-235, an isotope of uranium. Nuclear energy, contrary to popular belief, does not describe the horrible power of nuclear explosive, but the calculated, safe procedure of releasing the fundamental power of the atom. The pros of nuclear energy firmly outweigh the cons of the issue. If the people responsible for the facilities that the energy is produced in follow safety procedures the cons are nearly reduced to nothing. Not only is it a completely green energy source, but the power output is immense, and uranium is such a common material that is used so infrequently means that it will last for an extremely long time.

The world as we know today is dependent on energy. The options we have currently enable us to produce energy economically but at a cost to the environment. As fossil fuel source will be diminishing over time, other alternatives will be needed. An alternative that is presently utilized is nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is currently the most efficacious energy source. Every time the word ‘nuclear’ is mentioned, the first thought that people have is the devastating effects of nuclear energy. Granting it does come with its drawbacks; this form of energy emits far less pollution than conventional power plants. Even though certain disadvantages of nuclear energy are devastating, the advantages contain even greater rewards.

In today’s rapidly-advancing society, the depletion of fossil fuels, our main sources of energy, remains a constant motivator for the U.S. to harness nuclear power. While the fear of resource exhaustion and degradation of the environment encourages us to embrace nuclear energy as a solution, we fail to acknowledge the copious amounts of time and money needed to utilize nuclear energy, the political risks associated with large-scale use, and most importantly, the environmental and mortal consequences that can occur as a result of accidents.