Nuclear Power - Unexploited?

Nuclear power has been a hot topic of debate in the current energy crisis. Although some may not consider the world to be in one, the fact remains that we continue to use fossil fuels for energy at staggering rates. Coal power plants are an everyday contributer to air pollution, releasing carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, soot, and other harmful chemicals into the air we breathe. As our technology has advanced over the years, our reliance on dirty forms of energy has remained constant. While nuclear power is perhaps one of the most clean and efficient sources of energy at our hands today, only 20 percent of our electricity is currently produced by it.

Unlike conventional coal fired power plants, which mostly use coal to superheat steam, nuclear power works via fission of (usually) Uranium-235 confined within a reactor. No pollutants are emitted into the environment. The fission is controlled via control rods which limit the rate of the fission reaction. As the Uranium splits into two separate atoms, neutrons are ejected at high velocity, which then strike other Uranium atoms, causing them to split as well. The control rods limit the speed of the reaction by decreasing the amount of neutron-Uranium collisions within the reactor.

It would seem as though some countries have adopted nuclear power more so than others. France, for example, produces roughly 80 percent of its electricity with nuclear reactors. If the United States were to produce this much electricity with nuclear reactors, the benefits to the global environment would be astounding. In our current state, in one year the average United States coal power plant produces over 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide. Research has been shown that this gas is one of the lead contributers to global warming. If just a single coal power plant produces this much carbon dioxide, picture how much is produced by the rest of the coal power plants in the United States, let alone the rest of the globe.

As efficient and clean as nuclear power is, it is often criticized for its potential disastrous side effects if it is not controlled properly. Critics of nuclear power constantly point to Chernobyl as a prime example what can go wrong, but Chernobyl was caused by human error. Clearly nuclear reactors can cause environmental harm if left improperly supervised, but more harm is being done each day by the thousands of coal power plants around the globe. In addition, critics state that nuclear power plants are a prime target for terrorism. However, the nuclear fuel used in the plants can never blow up like a bomb. It is contained in pellet form within a reactor that is reinforced with lead, steel, and concrete. In addition, the exterior shells of nuclear power plants are almost always designed to withstand plane crashes, earthquakes, and terrorist bombings.

It is clear to me that the benefits of nuclear power far outweigh the risks. As researchers look to invent and perfect new forms of energy such as hydrogen cells that only expel water vapor, it seems that they are ignoring technology that already exists. The time to act is now. Fossil fuel prices are sky rocketing and the earth's temperature is rising, yet energy demands increase every year. Nuclear power gets my vote.


Posted By: Nate Pitcher