Nuclear Energy as a Significant Source of Power Essay Example

Nuclear energy is an innovative way to mass-produce energy. To create nuclear energy radioisotopes, often uranium-235 or plutonium-239, are bombarded with neutrons. This sets off a chain reaction that releases significant amounts of energy that can be used as a mass source of energy for the population. Nuclear energy is a newer form of energy but further development and studies into it will help us learn how to produce better, safer forms of energy. Nuclear energy should continue to be used as a significant source of power.

When debating nuclear energy, it is important to consider exposure. To a certain extent, radiation exposure is natural. People are exposed to low levels of radiation every day from sources like plane travel, electronic devices, or even drinking water. Radiation can be absorbed from rocks and soil and eventually transferred into the human body. These kinds of sources are not connected to the production of nuclear energy. Even people who live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant are not taking in huge doses, only about .009mrem per year (EPA). Overall nuclear plants do not have a large impact on public health, employee’s are the most affected. Most impacts on health are related to the length of a radiation dose. Employees of nuclear plants are exposed for years and while precautions are taken, all radiation cannot be blocked. Long-term exposure can lead to cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and death (CDC). These are detrimental effects on individual lives but products do exist to protect against radiation exposure. Further development and testing will continue to improve these technologies and make nuclear energy safer to work with. 

One of the only times public health is put in danger due to nuclear power is in nuclear disasters. While there have been devastating nuclear disasters in the past, as nuclear technology develops, disaster becomes less likely. Disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima were caused due to human error. In the case of Chernobyl, the meltdown was caused by an error in testing and the cooling systems failed. This led to a large-scale meltdown which affected the environment and people living in the area. Though people living in the area were dosed with higher radiation than they would often receive, research has found that the disaster and cases of cancer and leukemia were not strongly connected (NRC). Of course, the casualties from the disaster were serious but on a whole, the impact on the public could have been worse. With the advances in technology, disasters like Chernobyl are less likely to happen. When more research is done and nuclear energy is better understood, disasters will become even more preventable. 

Along with disasters, the handling of nuclear waste must also be considered. As energy is produced radioactive waste is produced as well. Waste can be optimized and up to 25% or 30% more energy can be extracted from used isotopes  (World Nuclear). Some waste, if possible, is incinerated or evaporated. The problem with this waste comes in when contaminated waste can not be discarded. At the moment there is not a set procedure to deal with nuclear waste. Plants are forced to find ways to store waste in their facilities without much hope to move it and make room for more. Most plants bury or submerge the waste to wait for the radioactivity to subside, but the waste remains radioactive for a long time. This presents a problem with but considering nuclear energy is still in its infancy, relative to some other forms of electricity, with research and time solutions may present themselves. 

Though nuclear waste is a problem that needs to be solved, a huge benefit of nuclear energy is that no carbon dioxide is produced from the energy itself. Carbon emissions are indeed produced to keep nuclear power plants running but the energy itself does not produce carbon dioxide. Compared to mass-produced energy sources, such as coal, nuclear energy produces far less carbon dioxide. Coal energy produces about 767 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year while keeping a nuclear power plant running only produces about 400 million tons (Smoot). Overall nuclear energy is reducing the global carbon output and numbers will continue to reduce as it develops further. It is also a more reliable source of energy than wind or solar energy. In the current climate, while a completely carbon-free source of energy is preferable, any reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is important and nuclear energy is a big step in the right direction.