The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power Plants

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Now in our modern society we have a big need for energy and are trying to find alternative types of energy power plants. Nuclear power plants are used in more than 30 countries all around the world (World nuclear association, n.d. para.3). These power plants are able to generate electricity continuously for many months at a time without interruption (World nuclear association, n.d.para.2). Nuclear power plants produce electricity by going through the process of fission. They have pros and cons as well, they can bring more jobs helping out the economy but also the radiation waste that is given off of the plants can harm many people’s health.
Nuclear power plants go through a heat generated process of fission to create its electricity. This means that the neutrons split into uranium atoms to produce large amounts of energy (EPA, n.d. para.2). The process coverts water into steam which then drives a turbine to create electricity. The steam is formed when the uranium atoms split (fission). It goes through this process in a closed contained environment. In the United States there are two types of nuclear reactors, the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWRs) and the Boiling Water Reactor (BWRs). In the Pressurized water reactors the water does not boil, the water is circulated through tubes in the steam generators (Duke energy, n.d.para.2). In the Boiling Water Reactor the water will be heated by fission and it boils and uses the steam to turn the turbine generator. In both of the reactors the water can be used over and over again in the process (Duke energy, n.d.para.3). Danger that can come from a nuclear power plant is exposure to radiation. The plant can release radioactive material to the environment by a plume of radioactive gases and ...

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...electricity. Since power plants are so expensive many poor countries will not have the opportunity to have nuclear energy (Burgess, J. n.d. para.12). Some argue that that the construction costs will exceed the countries credit limit, making them into deeper debt.
Overall in the end Nuclear power plants can be seen as a good alternative for energy and also be seen as harmful. Through fission the power plants are able to create electricity through the two types of nuclear reactors, the Pressurized Water Reactor (PWRs) and the Boiling Water Reactor (BWRs). Most states have nuclear power plants now and produce 20% of the nation’s power; around 3 million Americans live within 10 miles of an operating nuclear power plant (Nuclear power plants, n.d.para.1). It does have pros and cons to it but in the end it does create 20% of the nation’s power and the percent is growing.

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