Developing Nuclear Power as a Viable Alternative Energy

There are many scientists that see utilyzing the power of the atom in fission reactions as one of the most viable alternative energy resources available. An alternative energy source being anything, of course, that is not a fossil fuel.

Nuclear power plants can be an immense power source. They are very “clean-burning” and their efficiency is amazing. Nuclear power, evenually turned into electricity, is generated at 80% efficiency. This means that the energy produced by a fission reaction is almost equal to the energy put into creating the fission reactions in the first place. There is not much waste material created by nuclear fission but as with anything hu-beings build and operate there is some measure of waste.

And here is where the concerns and fears of environmentalists and the general populace are concentrated. Using nuclear power as an alternative energy source center doeds produce nuclear waste. Much of this is in the form of radioactive gases which must be contained.

These gases will continue to give off dangerous radiation for an extraordinarily long time - 10,000 years or more. It can never be released once contained and stored. However, the volume of this waste gas produced by nuclear power plants is tiny compared to how much NOx (nitrous oxide — that is,

Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant

and other air pollutants) generated by one day's worth of rush-hour traffic in the city of Los Angeles. While the radiation producing gases are certainly deadlier than Nitrous Oxide, the radioactive waste materials are by far the easier of the two to contain and store.

It can be argued that, in spite of the legitimate apprehensions of the environmentalists, nuclear power is, when all the factors are considered, an environmentally friendly alternative energy. The risk of the contained radiation leaking out is actually quite slim. With a relatively low volume of waste material produced by nuclear power plants long term storage and disposal solutions will be developed as technology advances.

Splitting the atom (nuclear fission) releases energy in the forms of both heat and light. Atomic power plants control the fission reactions so that a steady, controllable energy release is maintained. This type of nuclear procedure is not like what happens in the devastating explosions that one witnesses with atomic and hydrogen bombs. There is no chance of a nuclear power plant exploding like a nuclear bomb. The very specialized conditions that cause Plutonium to explode as an atomic blast, simply don't exist inside a nuclear power plant.

The risk of a “meltdown” (a nuclear reaction getting out of control) exists, but it is very low. The 1979 partial meltdown at a nuclear reactor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvalnia is well known, but there was little danger to the public from this incident. The most major nuclear power plant disaster occured at Chernobyl in 1986. This was not a meltdown accident, but one caused by an explosion and resultant fire. It released radiation over much of Europe. Thirty-one people died in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. Hundreds of thousands of Russians were moved from the area and a similar number are belived to have suffered from the effects of radiation exposure. The immediate area around Chernobyl is still quarantined.

Still if one looks at a list of Major Nuclear Power Plant Accidents, the number of incidents have been very few. And when one takes into acount that there are over 430 nuclear reactors in 33 nations, and that nuclear reactors have been in use since the early 1950s, these are rare occurrences. Moist oif these events have the fault of outdated materials And some human error. How do these events compare to the many refinery fires and oil spills that have happened over the last 60 years? Remarkably well...

Still, if nuclear energy is to become a more widely accepted form of alternative energy, the most up-to-date technology followed by the most vigerous upkeep of the plants is the key its future. Currently, six states in America generate more than half of all their electrical energy needs through nuclear power. New nuclear power plants are being built around the world. And yet the Internet and mainstream media are not filled with tragic horror stories of the power plants constantly having problems...

About the Author

Scott Harker is the publisher of several websites including: Sherlock Holmes Pastiches, On The Hook | Fishing Guide, Great Food | Great Recipes, Dieting Help | Move More - Eat Less, To The Stars | Astronomy, and Drive The Future | Hybrid Cars.

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