Nuclear Plants
Advantages of nuclear plant
· Bring jobs and prosperity to a town or country
· Provides the world with most of its electricity
· Good for the country’s economy
· More efficient than ever before
o New technology has made them more reliable and safer
§ Evidenced by more and more nations (such as China) building nuclear power plants.
· Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
· Although the initial cost of building is high, the running costs are low
· Reduces dependence on foreign oils and natural gas (like bio fuels).
· Can be safely stored underground
· Release a million times more energy, as compared to hydro or wind energy.
Disadvantages of nuclear plant
· Radioactive waste
o Produce a lot of waste material
o Waste material is extremely hazardous and difficult to dispose off safely
§ Keep on site or is buried underground in huge concrete pits
§ Must be carefully looked after for many thousands of years.
· High risks associated with accidents
o Small radiation leaks can cause devastating effects on the surrounding environment and people (Japan)
o A cataclysmic accident can cause widespread radiation poisoning across many countries
§ Chernobyl Nuclear disaster
· Terrorist Targets
o Because of the wide spread damage a reactor breach could cause
§ Terrorist Targets
§ Some nuclear reactions also produce plutonium in large quantities
· Used in nuclear weaponry
· Not renewable
o Uranium is a scarce metal
o Will one day run out
§ All nuclear power plants obsolete
· Time and Money
o Long time
§ Plan and build a nuclear power plant that is safe and effective
o Lot of money spent
§ Ensure it is safe
§ Unsafe nuclear plants more prone to accidents
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