Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy

Can Nuclear Power Be The Primary Source of Energy?

Risk

Catastrophe such as: earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, etc. It can causes casualties and loss in properties.

Nuclear power plant can be a possible target for terrorists.

Enriched uranium used for nuclear reactor can be used to develop nuclear weapons.

Waste

Therefore, using nuclear power is really dangerous not only to our life but also our environment.

Safety

Nuclear wastes are unstable substances that contain high radiation. It can last a really long time before decaying. One research shows that nuclear waste lasts 200 to 500 thousand years.

Nuclear radiation is really dangerous for organism. It causes disorder in our DNA structure and then we get cancer. We need to wear hazmat suit in radiation zone to avoid getting radiation exposed

Nuclear wastes can cause serious ground pollution to the area nearby the nuclear power plant. It may also pollute the groundwater underneath the power plant.

It will be really costly to hire professional engineers and scientists because they have to work in dangerous conditions.

Nuclear wastes are extremely dangerous to our health as well as the environment. It causes disorder in our DNA and therefore leads to cancer.

That's why using nuclear as a primary source of energy is not really possible.

Therefore, treating nuclear waste are really dangerous and risky that not only harm organisms and but also pollute the environment around us

What is nuclear power? How good is it?

Nuclear power is energy contained in atoms, which can be released as heat from a chain reaction in uranium.

Nuclear power stations use this heat to produce steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity.

Reasons why nuclear power is not good:

Construction, Safety, Risk, Waste, Duration and Requirement.

Construction

Duration

High cost due to complex radiation containment systems and procedures ( about 15 to 20 billion for a new nuclear power plant according to a 2009 UCS report.)

Long construction time ( about 5 to 10 years).

Nuclear energy is non-renewable. Nuclear power plants depend on uranium. However, uranium is a scarce resource. When uranium depletes, all the nuclear power plants have to stop operating and shut down.

Decommissioning nuclear power plants will be too expensive to undertake.

Opposed by people lived nearby.

It is an illusion to build new nuclear power plants in a short time.

Decommissioning nuclear plants will be too expensive to undertake. It requires lots of steps such as disposing the uranium and nuclear waste before we could shut down a nuclear power plant.

Nuclear power plants that are not working will invade a massive area of lands to build other power plants. The money we invested for nuclear power plants could be invested in other renewable energy sources such as wind power, waves power or solar power, etc.

Therefore, using nuclear energy as a main source of energy is not possible.

Sources

http://www.triplepundit.com/2009/02/nuclear-energy-pros-and-cons/

"Nuclear Energy: Pros and Cons." Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked up for cons of nuclear waste and construction for one nuclear power plant in this website.

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_NuclearEnergy.php

"Disadvantages Of Nuclear Energy - Conserve Energy Future." Conserve-Energy-Future. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked for disadvantages of nuclear energy such as Nuclear Radiation, Nuclear Waste, Risks and Its impacts on many aspects.

http://nuclear-energy.net/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-nuclear-energy.html

" Advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power." Nuclear energy. N.p, n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015

I looked for the nuclear risks or accidents on this website.

http://www.ianswer4u.com/2011/12/nuclear-energy-disadvantages-of-nuclear.html#axzz3Ov7H9lJz

"Nuclear Energy: Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy." I Answer 4 U. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked up for the requirement of building one nuclear power plant and other disadvantages of nuclear energy on this website.

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Nuclear_Energy

"Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy." LoveToKnow. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked for disadvantages of nuclear energy.

http://timeforchange.org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and-sustainability

"Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power | Time for Change." Personal Growth is the Meaning of Life | Time for Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked for nuclear waste and nuclear terrorism on this website.

http://www.psr.org/nuclear-bailout/resources/nuclear-power-plant.pdf

Physicians for Social Responsibility | PSR. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked for the amount of money it took to build one nuclear power plant in this research.

http://world-nuclear.org/info/current-and-future-generation/the-nuclear-debate/

"The Nuclear Debate." World Nuclear Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2015.

I looked for disadvantages of nuclear energy.

Ms. Latoya Clark: I had discussion with Ms. Clark about the disadvantages of the nuclear energy. She agreed that nuclear energy would not be an ideal energy source because of its dangerous risks and factors.

Ms. Edwina Kumi: I talked with Ms. Edwina about the danger of building more nuclear power plant and how it would be a waste in the future as the Uranium would be depleted.

Image Sources

THANKS FOR WATCHING

http://wabe.org/post/builder-projects-18-month-delay-nuclear-plant-georgia

Bazemore, John. Plant Vogtle power plant in Waynesboro, Georgia. June 13, 2014. Associated Press. Waynesboro. Wabe. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is the image of a nuclear power plant during its construction stages.

http://www.dw.de/what-to-do-with-nuclear-waste/a-16755844

Rueter, Gero. What to do with nuclear waste? June 28, 2013. Germany. Dw. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is a photo of how people treat nuclear waste right now in the underground vaults.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/25/news/economy/nuclear_accident_costs/

Hargreaves, Steve. The industry is only responsible for the first $12 billion in damages, and private insurance does not cover nuclear accidents. March 25, 2011. New York. CNNMoney. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is a photo of a nuclear power plant nearby a residence area.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/may/25/europe-divided-nuclear-power-fukushima

Phillips, Leigh. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after Japan's earthquake and tsunami in March. Wednesday 25 May 2011. Reuters. Fukushima. The Guardian. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is the photo of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant after the explosion.

http://triggerpit.com/2011/02/20/nuclear-explosions-i-am-become-death/

Hirn, Marcus. Nuclear explosion: UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE on May 25, 1953. February 20, 2011. Arial Photography, Military, Navy, War. Triggerpit. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is a photo of a nuclear weapon developed from Uranium; same material for operating a nuclear power plant.

http://hadron.physics.fsu.edu/~capstick/PHY-3091-Spring14/JoshWebster/Radiation-Detection_Josh-Webster.pdf

Webster, Josh. Uranium Radioactive Decay. March 17, 2014. Hadron. Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is the picture of the half-life of the Uranium 235.

https://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2013/10/12/fukushima-radiation-levels-hit-2-year-high-workers-contaminated-in-latest-mishap/

Fukushima radiation levels hit 2-year high: workers contaminated in latest mishap. 12 October, 2013. n.p. Japan. The Extinction Protocol . Web. 1 Feb 2015.

This is the photo of people wearing hazmat suits in high radiation level area.