Why Do Nuclear Power Plants Go Wrong

Nuclear power plants should not be built due to the biological effects it poses during a meltdown. Radiation is exposed to inhabitants during a meltdown but many people are not aware of the horrific effects. An example of this is explained in the article “Biological Effects on Radiation”. “The higher the radiation dose, the sooner the effects of radiation will appear…this syndrome was observed in many atomic bomb survivors in…1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident…of these, 28 died within the first three months from their radiation injuries. Two more patients died during the first days…” (2012).

The production of nuclear energy is not as safe and clean as some say that it is. The Oxford Research Group released a report providing evidence that supports this point. It is clear that nuclear power plants do not produce a lot of carbon dioxide when they operate, but it is the mining of uranium and the storing of waste that produces the carbon dioxide pollution.

     Nuclear power is, to many people, seen as unsafe and unstable much attributed to the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl plant failures, Chernobyl actually having a meltdown releasing radiation into the atmosphere. What people fail to realize is that nuclear power is the cheapest and one of the cleanest ways of producing power. Nuclear plants create no greenhouse gases to pollute the atmosphere and are very reliable, not depending on solar cycle or rainfall to produce energy. Nuclear waste is also an issue most people bring up but in our advances in technology we now have proven and effective ways to dispose of the waste. With the amount of uranium we have on the planet and the amount used to create power we have virtually an unlimited supply of fuel. Though not abundant, as with most power generation processes there are adverse effects with creating nuclear

The loudest objection raised by the anti-nuclear groups is that there is "no safe level of radiation." It is also the phoniest. The major sources of radiation are natural and ubiquitous: we are continuously bombarded with radiation from cosmic rays in the upper atmosphere and from naturally occurring radioactive elements in the earth. Compared with these background sources, the radiation from nuclear power plants is negligible.

Nuclear power plants are a safe, clean and reliable source of energy production. They are uniquely qualified to meet the growing demand for energy in the USA.

Nuclear power is a much greener option than others, and can help prevent the devastating effects of fossil fuels on the environment. Burning fossil fuels releases thousands of tons of GHGs (greenhouse gasses) into the air that cause a variety of serious environmental problems. The emissions cause global warming which leads to the melting of polar ice caps and the raising of oceans. This also causes acid rain and air pollution which pollutes water sources, accelerates erosion and damages ecosystems (Pacific

There are also many negatives that can be seen. The mining and purifying of uranium isn’t a clean process also including the transport of nuclear fuel to and from plants. The used fuel is radioactive and potentially deadly. A nuclear power plant generates 20 metric tons of used nuclear fuel and is classified as high-level radioactive nuclear waste. It will evetually corrode any container that holds it and can be lethal to nearby life forms. The wastes have to be monitored. The results when nuclear power plants malfunction may be catastrophic. One example is the Chernobyl disaster and the recent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The Chernobyl disaster caused thousands to die from cancer and other

Nuclear reactors only emit carbon dioxide and sometimes displace animals. The “cons” from nuclear reactors compared to others vary but it’s very clear that the nuclear power is the better choice.

While nuclear energy can generate plenty of electricity, it can easily be abused. Nuclear energy plants can unfortunately be preferred targets for terrorists, also producing nuclear waste. Nuclear waste is bad for the environment because it requires a dumping ground due to the fact that it cannot be processed. If this continues, there will eventually be no more

Nuclear power plants help the environment. Power plants produce wetlands because it is built next to clean water sources. Some examples where wildlife benefits in wetland area: birds build

Yes, nuclear power does not release greenhouse gasses into the environment, but it does release other harmful substances. First, the process of mining and transporting uranium can be very dirty and even dangerous. Second, the waste that nuclear power produces can be very dangerous. If we build more power plants, more radioactive waste will pile up, since it lasts between 200-500 thousand years. If too much of this waste piles up, where are we going to put it? We can't just put radioactive waste anywhere. Third, one of the biggest problems with nuclear power is nuclear accidents. Yes, they may not happen often, but if more power plants are being built, the more at risk we are for a nuclear accident. Nuclear accidents can be solved with quick actions, but if not dealt with right away, nuclear accidents can poison the surrounding land for miles and make it uninhabitable for thousands of years. Fourth, nuclear power plants are a potential target for terrorists. Terrorists could use ground attacks on equipment which could lead to a reactor core meltdown or external attacks such as an aircraft crash into a

Pollution is another topic with both pros and cons. Fossil fuels release harmful pollutants into the air such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Nuclear power does not release any of those toxins into the atmosphere. However, a pollution problem with nuclear energy is thermal pollution, where a plant’s “hot effluents” are put into a nearby body of water, and raise the temperature by a small amount but enough to cause a disturbance in the ecosystem of the lake or reservoir. Nevertheless, this could easily be solved by cooling the effluents before releasing them into the water. The other problem facing nuclear energy is waste disposal. Nuclear waste is radioactive and very dangerous. Therefore, it must be kept buried and sealed up for a long period of time until the radioactivity dies [Plasma-Material]. One positive fact about nuclear energy that is not disputed is its abundance.

Nuclear power plants are one of the main ways to gather energy, but is it the best and safest way and cleanest way to get energy? Abe gilbert says, “For now I will simply state that Nuclear Energy can never be clean or safe. Look at the hundreds of thousands of cubic tons of nuclear waste that we have no safe place to store.”(Abe Gilbert 4).Nuclear power plants are not, despite of what other people say, the cleanest and safest way to get energy. Nuclear plants are harmful to the environment, are not as durable (long lasting) as other ways of getting energy, and they become potential targets for terrorist who want to destroy the United States. People may argue that nuclear power plants are clean and are safe, but are

Nuclear power is a very interesting yet controversial subject. One of the main benefits of nuclear power is the electricity produced by nuclear power plants. These plants produce one-fifth of the electricity used in the United States, providing more electricity than other sources like solar and wind. It is claimed that of all of the energy sources available, nuclear energy probably has the lowest impact on the environment, because nuclear power plants do not release harmful gases that can threaten the air, land, water or cause impact on global warming. So, if the energy produced by nuclear power is a cleaner, more environmentally friendly and efficient source of power, then where is the controversy? The controversy is not

Before one can understand the many risks and drawbacks that accompany nuclear energy, he or she must first understand the complex nature of it and how it is produced. According to the article High Pressure Reactor, the process to create nuclear energy is quite intricate and hazardous. It begins with a highly reactive, natural metal called Uranium. This uranium then goes through a process termed “fission”. When this occurs, an atom of uranium is split, releasing a gargantuan amount of energy. This energy is released in the form of heat, which then boils water to create steam. This steam flows through a system that powers a turbine, thus powering a generator that produces electricity. The main gadget that triggers all these different reactions is called a nuclear power reactor. This reactor is regulated by control rods made from the element boron. These rods slow down the process of fission and repeatedly enter/exit the reactor to allow more neutrons to attach themselves to the rod. By having more neutrons the reaction is bigger which leads to more energy being produced (Nuclear Energy). It is clearly plausible that many problems may arise when using such an intricate process.