We Need Nuclear Energy

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We Need Nuclear Energy

"Minutes ago, the lights flickered, went out briefly, snapped on again. It was a warning. The electricity would last only a few moments longer, and then we would be plunged into three hours of darkness. . . . For the third time today, by official edict, we are taking our turn without electricity. A miners' strike has reduced coal stocks almost to the vanishing point, and most of Britain's electricity comes from coal" (Weaver, "The Search . . .", 652). This could become a common occurrence if the United States doesn't use other energy sources besides fossil fuels. Nuclear energy should continue to be used in the United States.

Nuclear energy is produced in a nuclear reactor. Inside the reactor, uranium undergoes fission. Fission occurs when a fast-moving neutron strikes a nucleus of uranium. The nucleus cannot take the extra neutron, so it splits apart, producing an enormous amount of heat. This takes place in the reactor core, which is surrounded by a large quantity of pressurized water that absorbs the heat. This heat is transferred from this water to the water in a steam generator, where it boils water to steam. The steam turns turbines, which produces electricity (Macaulay, 174-9).

The main benefit of nuclear energy is the amount of energy within uranium. One kilogram of uranium produces 440,000 megajoules of energy. Coal produces a maximum of 30 megajoules, and crude oil produces 46 ("Why . . . "). In other words, one pound of uranium can produce as much energy as 12,000 pounds of coal or 1,200 gallons of oil ("Nuclear . . . "). A one million kilowatt power station uses 2.3 million tons of coal each year. A one million kilowatt nuclear reactor, on the other hand, us...

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...uclear Energy." Three Mile Island Student Research Project. [on-line] Available: http://www.ee.rochester.edu:8080/programs/399Projects/TMIStudy/TMIPros.htm

"The Three Mile Island Accident." Three Mile Island Student Research Project. [on-line] Available: http://www.ee.rochester.edu:8080/programs/399Projects/TMIStudy/TMIIncident.html

Weaver, Kenneth F. "The Promise and Peril of Nuclear Energy." National Geographic. April 1979. pp. 459-493.

Weaver, Kenneth F. "The Search For Tomorrow's Power." National Geographic. November 1972. pp. 661-672.

"Why Uranium." Uranium Information Centre. [on-line] Available: http://www.uic.com.au/whyu.htm

Young, Paulette. "Average Price of Coal Delivered to Electric Utilities by Census Division and State, 1987, 1992-1996." [on-line] Available: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/coal/cia/t92p01.txt

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