Is The Existence of Nuclear Power – A Necessary Evil?
keywords – Nuclear Power, Atomic Energy, Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear energy, War
Today, nuclear power or energy has become one of the main producers of electricity. In order to meet the demands of electricity, nuclear plants are constructed. Whatever latest technologies are emerging, they all need electricity to function. Life without electricity is something unimaginable. United States uses nuclear energy to produce electricity for past 60 years.
There is a debate always regarding nuclear power. Some people stand for nuclear power which is necessary to produce current. As like a coin having two faces, there are some set of peoples who fights against the nuclear plants. People who are raising their voice against nuclear plants are living in the surrounding area of nuclear plant. These people are the one who are really affected by the nuclear power.
How electricity produced from nuclear power?
Nuclear is a zero carbon emission energy source. Electricity is produced through a process called fission, which means splitting uranium or plutonium or thorium atoms to generate power in a nuclear reactor. The energy released is heated to get steam, which is used by turbine generator to generate electricity.
Necessity of Nuclear Power
The need of power has increased since the fossil fuels like petrol, diesel, coal, oil, etc. are declining. Large amount of fossil fuels are used to produce energy which in turn emits enormous carbon gases. These carbon gases affect our ozone layer. But in nuclear power, carbon emission is very low. Controlling the release of carbon is more important to reduce the effect of greenhouse gases in atmosphere. According to OECD Nuclear Power Agency, greenhouse gas emission can be reduced to 4%, only by doubling the number of power plants worldwide within 2050.
The capacity of nuclear plant to generate energy is 91 percent. Natural gases produce 50 percent and coal 59 percent of energy which is low when compared to nuclear power. The energy released using uranium is ten million times more than then energy released by fossil fuels. To meet today’s demand of power consumption; power plants are needed. More power plants are to be constructed to satisfy the demand. This can’t be achieved in two or three years, but about twenty to thirty years needed to construct nuclear plant that fulfills the need of whole world.
Harms of Nuclear Plants to Environment
Nuclear plants are more dangerous and vulnerable. Because of radioactive elements used to produce power, they are more harmful to environment. Nuclear plants require more water to cool the system. Mostly nuclear plants are located near riverside or seaside. Water taken from the sea are used to cool the nuclear reactors and then mixed with the sea. This makes sudden temperature increase in water. Aquatic animals and plants are affected due to sudden change in temperature. They may lose their lives.
There are enormous of radioactive waste that remains active for several hundred years. The wastes are stored inside the nuclear plants. Nuclear wastes can be buried but still radiations will come out which could affect humans. Thus dumping wastes from more nuclear plants cause radioactive pollution. Uranium is collected through mining process which is not environment friendly approach. The open pit mining is good for miners. This process sometimes leaves radioactive particles, which cause soil erosion and pollutes the water.
Is nuclear plant an evil?
Yes, nuclear plant is an evil against human lives. Safeguarding nuclear plants are more risk and tedious. During war or terrorist attack, they aim at nuclear plants to destroy which cause more human loss. The radiation will affect for several kilometers. Recovering from these attacks will take several years. Russia’s invasion into southern Ukraine creates nuclear threat among European countries, which could take two decades to recover from the catastrophic damage.
Radiations emitted are in low level. But this low level radiation causes cancer among people living near the nuclear plants. Long term exposure to radiation may cause damage in DNA. Still there is no safety ways to dispose the waste. All safety and precaution steps are followed during construction. If an accident occurs then the environment and the surrounding people are exposed to high level radiation.
The nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan met an accident in 2011 is one of the worst nuclear disaster in history. The reason for accident is tsunami following a major earthquake. The impacts of accident on human lives are still in observation. Still children are born with physical and neurological defects after the radiation.
There is a risk of misusing nuclear as weapons and bomb during war. Nuclear powers are expensive. Why to spend money and make life threaten? Think of alternative ways that are safe to the world.
Suggestions
Power for household can be obtained from other sources of energy like solar, wind, and geothermal. Solar energy is a vast energy and sufficient for using household items. Every house, industries, factories should use solar energy an alternative for current. Solar energy will available for many years. We can save the world from destroying with the help of these energies. Government schemes are there to promote the usage of solar power in houses. Farmers should use solar power to operate motor pumps, lifting and distributing of water for irrigation. Thus the need for new nuclear plants can be reduced.
Conclusion
Life threatening technology development is not good for people. After Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and Chernobyl disaster in 1986 many countries stopped the process of constructing new nuclear plants. Nuclear power is always a threat to people and environment. Electricity is the main source for day-to-day life. Instead of choosing nuclear plants, other renewable resources can be used. Solar, Wind and geothermal energy can be used to produce power. These are safe and don’t make any harm to the environment and people.
Written By – Jaya Ambika
FOR MORE INFO VISIT US!
OR Mail us at edumoundofficial@gmail.com
Read Similar Articles – Demilitarization Of Ukraine By Russia | World War III?
