NUCLEAR POWER Is it good or bad?

Where does the nuclear power come from? Nuclear power is produced from controlled nuclear reactions. These nuclear reactions are held in nuclear plants which use nuclear fission or fusion. Nuclear fusion is believed to be safer than nuclear fission but it’s also more difficult. It’s because of this that more nuclear plants use nuclear fission. The majority of this energy will be converted into electricity.

Why is it bad? If there is an accident in a nuclear plant a lot of population will die or suffer a lot of injuries in the future because of the radiations. It will be a catastrophe. Its waste is highly radioactive and needs to be buried deeply in the ground in a security box.

What are the advantages of using it? A very important characteristic is the enormous quantity of energy it can produce in comparison with the material you need. It’s the most productive of all energy source that humans use. More than gas coal or oil.

How important is it nowadays? In 2009, 15% of the world's electricity came from nuclear power. The United States produces with nuclear power the 19% of the electricity it consumes. In the European Union nuclear energy provides 30% of the electricity. France produces the highest percentage of its electrical energy from nuclear reactors (80%). Rich countries produce nuclear power and they enriched selling this energy to other countries.

Debate on nuclear power People who is in favour say that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source that does not create air pollution, reduces carbon emissions and increases energy security by decreasing dependence on foreign oil, but on the other side people say nuclear power is a potentially dangerous energy source. They claim that radioactive waste cannot be stored safely for long periods of time, that there is a continuing possibility of radioactive contamination and furthermore it can bring the new creation of nuclear weapons.

Where nuclear power is located? There are hundreds of nuclear plants spread over countries such as France, Japan, USA, Germany, UK, China, Spain… In 2007, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) reported there were 439 nuclear power reactors in operation in the world, operating in 31 countries.