Impact of Coal vs Uranium Power Plants

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Impact of Coal vs Uranium Power Plants

Currently our country, and especially California, is confronting a serious energy crisis. Newspaper headlines warn of blackouts and tremendous rate increases. The cost of all we buy will increase in an effort to cover the added expenses. They only way to control this shortage of fuel are to produce more, conserve and control the amount of energy we use or a combination of conserving and increasing production.

In the United States two major sources of energy are coal and nuclear power. There are coal power plants and nuclear power plants. Both of them were built for the same purpose, to supply energy to the world. Some would say that coal is better, more efficient and safer than nuclear power. But then again, many people believe that nuclear power is the power of the future and what we are going to be relying on. Both sides have their pros and cons, making it hard to determine which one is safer, cleaner, more efficient, and in greatest supply.

Coal is a natural resource of Earth. “Coal is a combustible, sedimentary, organic rock (composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) formed from vegetation.” “Large coal deposits only started to be formed after the evolution of land plants in the Devonian period, some four hundred million years ago.” (The Origin) Vegetation was consolidated between other rock strata forming coal seams. Then the vegetation was “altered by the combined effects of microbial action, pressure and heat over a considerable time period.”(What is Coal)

The altered remains of prehistoric vegetation originally accumulated as plant material in swamps and peat bogs. “The accumulation of silt and other sediments, together with movements in the earth’s crust ...

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...y.” New York, London: WW Norton & Company. 1982 (Kaku)

“Nuclear Technologies Benefits of Nuclear Energy.” www.nei.org/doc.asp?catnum=3&catid=156 (Technologies Benefits)

“Power Plants.” www.cleanair.net/PowerPlants/campaign.htm (Power Plants)

“Question of the day.” www.howstuffworks.com/question481.htm (Question)

Richard E. Webb, Ph.D. “Nuclear Lessons an Examination of Nuclear Power’s Safet, Economic and Political Record.” Harrisburg. Pa: Stackpole Books, 1980. (Webb)

Thomas, Matt Interview. 27 March, 2001 (Thomas)

Till,Dr.Charles “Frequently asked Question.” www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/etc/facqs.html (Frequently)

Till,Dr.Charles. Interview. 1998 www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/interviews/till.html. (Till)

“The Toll From Coal: Dirty Power Threatens Our Environment.” www.cleanair.net/PowerPlants/Gen%20harms.pdf (Toll From)

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