America Needs Nuclear Power

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Recommended: Nuclear energy advantages

Nuclear power plants are a safe, clean and reliable source of energy production. They are uniquely qualified to meet the growing demand for energy in the USA.

It is estimated that the demand for power will grow two and a half percent per year. Even if the demand for energy didn’t increase in the future but stayed where it is nuclear would still be the best choice for power production. Nuclear costs less and is environmentally cleaner than coal, which currently supplies approximately fifty percent of the power in the U.S. (Loewen 53). In addition nuclear has an exemplary safety record. The group of people who oppose nuclear and promote renewable power sources, hereafter termed environmentalists, do so for very sound reasons. However, they fail to realize that renewables, wind and solar power, cannot supply the base-load electricity needed for the power grid. They also don’t realize that of the five power sources that can supply base-load electricity, coal, oil, hydroelectric dams, nuclear and natural gas, nuclear outranks the others either in cost or environmental safety or both.

To understand nuclear power we need to have a general understanding of how it is generated in most nuclear plants. This is a general description only and makes no claim to encompass all the different variations possible for the design of nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy is produced from the nuclear fission reaction of a heavy nucleus such as uranium absorbing a neutron after which it splits into two fragments of nearly equal mass. This releases a substantial amount of energy and several more neutrons. The neutrons are then able to strike other heavy nuclei and cause them to fission, releasing more energy. This process occurring continuously results in a chain reaction in which many billions of nuclei may fission in a small fraction of second. In a nuclear reactor the self-sustaining series of fissions is carefully controlled. The enormous amount of energy released occurs in the form of radiation and the kinetic energy of the fission products expelled at high speeds. Most of the energy becomes thermal and is used to heat water and convert it to high-pressure steam. The steam is then used to drive a turbine and the mechanical energy of the turbine is converted to electricity by means of a generator (Britannica).

Environmentalists argue against nuclear power ...

... middle of paper ...

...t problem of nuclear power and it is probably the most well-managed waste in the history of the United States. This essay is not attempting to present nuclear as the perfect answer to the increased demand for power. Nuclear is not perfect, however, of the options available it comes the closest.

Works Cited

Cohen, Bernard L., The Nuclear Energy Option: An Alternative for the 90s. New York: Plenum Press, 1990.

Lake, James A., Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins. “Symposium: Pros and Cons of

Nuclear Power.” Insight on the News” 27 August 2001: 40 – 45.

Loewen, Eric P. “Nuclear Power Can Help Solve Energy Crisis.” National Defense

August 2001: 52 – 55.

“nuclear energy.” Encyclopedia Britannica. CD-ROM. Chicago: Encyclopedia

Britannica, 1997.

Norsen, Travis. “The Enemies of Nuclear Power.” The Business Journal – Milwaukee

17 August 2001: 43 - 44

Oliver, Mike and John Hospers. “Alternative Fuels?” American Enterprise September

2001: 20 – 29.

Wardell, Charles. “Nuclear Energy Comes Full Circle.” Popular Science August 2001:

38 – 42.

Yelverton, Jerry. “Nuclear Engineering.” Vital Speeches of the Day 67 (2001) :

655 – 659.

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