The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy

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Imagine having a city thriving on reliable power and suddenly having it get destroyed, both the city and power source. That is a risk the nuclear industry takes. There is a risk of a nuclear meltdown every day. How big really is the risk? Contrary to popular belief, it is quite slim. Nuclear energy is safe and is continuing to get safer due to changes in plant design, technology and safety improvements, and further advances in technology and research.
Background Information
People are concerned for nuclear safety, now more than ever. 31 nuclear accidents have occurred since the reactor in Chernobyl melted down (Nuclear Power Plant Accidents: Listed and Ranked since 1952 Theguardian.com). Most of these accidents have had a significant impact adding to the concern for nuclear safety and meltdown concern. In Chernobyl, for example, the city’s inhabitants had to flee the city in 1986, and can not return to this day. In fact, the blast radius of the Chernobyl reactor meltdown was 30 km, affecting the city and the environment. And even more recently, the Fukashima reactor in Japan melted down. Both of these meltdowns have had historic effects on society. They have also led to the rising meltdown concerns.
Meltdowns affect people that live near reactors, but it also affects others too. For example, the Chernobyl meltdown was bigger than most other meltdowns with a 19 mile blast radius. However, because the reactor was so close to the city, the people had to evacuate because the plant was within the close to 20 mile blast radius. Regular meltdowns have a 10 mile blast radius, but the after effects affect up to a 50 mile area around the reactor ("Nuclear Meltdown Survival." Disaster Planning & Survival). This can easil...

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...Listed and Ranked since 1952." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 18 Mar. 2011. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. .
World Nuclear Association. "Nuclear Power Reactors Are One of the Safest Ways to Produce Electricity." Nuclear Energy. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Current Controversies. Rpt. from "Safety of Nuclear Reactors." 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
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