Nuclear Power and Its Problems - Free Essay Example

Nuclear power occurs from a series of reactions that causes the build-up and release of energy which in turn generates heat. This heat is then used as steam to power turbines which helps produce the electricity. The production of this electricity is used to power many things including but not limited to homes, schools, business etc. (What Is Nuclear Power And Energy? | GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy) Nuclear power is considered safe when compared with some other energy sources such as solar, wind, hydropower and fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. However, some issues do exist when producing the nuclear power. One of the issues with nuclear power is controlling the rate of the reactions during the production of nuclear power/energy. If the reaction becomes unmanageable and the reaction cant be contained this can lead to a meltdown causing high levels of radio-active fall out. Such an example of this occurred in Chernobyl 1986 – the reactor exploded due to loss of electricity, Three Mile Island – March 28 1979 – the water supply in the circuit malfunctioned causing the circuit to overheat due to the lack of the electricity, Fukushima Daiichi March 2011 – An earthquake caused the nuclear plant to shut down because of no electricity, the reactors over heated causing a disaster,   to mention a few (A Brief History Of Nuclear Accidents Worldwide) . Another example of the possible problems that can arise from nuclear power is the disposal of the waste products from the reactions. Once the waste material is produced they are radio-active and can stay radioactive at very high levels for many years. This could potentially cause a huge concern, as if this radio-active waste gets into the wrong hands, the waste can be used in nuclear weapons. (Nuclear Reprocessing: Dangerous, Dirty, And Expensive) Although the above-mentioned situations have occurred with nuclear power, the United States of America benefits from the use of nuclear power, without it there would be no electricity. The USA produces more nuclear power that any other country, producing more than 30% of nuclear generation of electricity. Since the production of electricity from the nuclear power plant is continuous, this saves the USA money for example, on the cost of other fuels such as petrol.   Another reason it is beneficial to the USA is that it reduces the cost of coal and oil as the nuclear power can be used as an alternative source. Cars can now be run on electricity instead of fuel, a cleaner and safer alternative to fuel (Nuclear Power In The USA World Nuclear Association) Although, Nuclear power has its problems, where would our country and the world be without it. Think about not having electricity in your home, you cant watch TV, use the computer, cook, keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, the list is endless. This is why nuclear power is a necessity. With all the safety protocols put in place during the production of nuclear power, it is clean, safe and necessary for the United States and the rest of the World.