Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy
                     
PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY



PROS AND CONS OF 
NUCLEAR ENERGY


PROS


 Reliable-The raw material (uranium) starts its fission reaction, energy 
will continue to be made and more uranium can simply be added after 
certain intervals to ensure that the fission reaction does not stop. A 
nuclear power plant in the mode of producing energy can be left 
uninterrupted for even a year.

 Less raw material required and Easy Transportation-Nuclear fission 
is a very strong reaction and only a small amount of uranium can release 
the amount of energy that a 100 metric ton of coal can ( i.e. it’s 28 
grams of uranium). Uranium has a higher energy density as compared to 
the traditional forms of energy. The amount of raw material is decreased 
by a massive amount which means that uranium reserves found in the 
Earth’s crust will last for a long time for our usage. Since less amount of 
uranium needed to generate nuclear energy, the transportation of 
uranium from its mining site to the nuclear plant is easier and efficient.


 Less cost of production of electricity-Generation of electricity 
through nuclear energy will cost less. This is because, once the 
nuclear plant is established, the cost of uranium is not more and 
less amount will give massive amounts of energy, cost of electricity 
will  also drop and power cuts might become a thing of the past as a 
nuclear plant continues running without fail.

 Existing technology-The technology to use alternative renewable 
sources of energy for power generation are still mostly in research 
mode and the market for them has yet to be created. The places 
where markets have been established, the technology to harness 
the energy of renewable sources is expensive. On the other hand, 
the technology of harnessing nuclear energy is well established and 
the research being done is focused on dealing with the nuclear 
waste disposal and tackling radiation problems. This makes nuclear 
energy an easier option to use as alternative resource for the 
generation of energy.


 Efficient and Powerful- Since  less amount of raw material is used 
and a huge amount of energy is produced. On comparison  with the 
renewable sources of energy, the power generated by nuclear 
fission reactions can run an entire city or industry.

 Lesser amount of greenhouse gas emissions-The nuclear 
fission reaction caused by the decay of uranium does not release 
the harmful greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane). It is a 
clean form of energy.

 Less amount of land needed-To harness the energy released 
through the process of nuclear fission and generate electricity, 
nuclear plants need to be constructed. Nuclear plants do not require 
large amount of land to be established and space  will be saved. But 
 due to the danger of radiation, land nearby may not be safe to stay.


CONS


 Raw Material-The uranium used in the process of fission is a 
naturally unstable element. It means that the people working in 
mining, transporting, and storing of uranium must take special 
precautions. The same goes for the storing of any waste product 
resulting from the fission process; extra safety measures are 
required to prevent uranium from emitting harmful levels of 
radiation.

 High Cost- The massive investment required to set up a functional 
nuclear power station. It’s a costly source of alternative energy 
hence  difficult for developing countries to afford it. Also, nuclear 
power plants usually take 5 to 10 years to build and there is a lot  of 
legal formalities to be approved beforehand and the people living 
nearby the potential site usually oppose the project.


 Nuclear Waste-After the uranium splits to generate heat, the 
resulting byproducts are radioactive, which means they need to be 
removed in a safe way. Even though power plants have undergone 
recycling efforts of this waste product in recent years, storing the 
byproduct can lead to contamination through various containment 
failures.

  Water Pollutant-The chambers where nuclear fission takes place 
need to be cooled down by water. this water is turned into steam, 
which moves the massive turbines. After the water cools down and 
changes back into liquid form, the plant pumps it outside into 
nearby wetlands. While measures ensure radiation does not leak 
into the environment, other heavy metals and pollutants often 
escape the chambers.Also,the hot water gives off immense heat 
that damages to ecosystems nearby.


 Risk of Shutdown Reactors-In the past, several nuclear reactors 
have failed and were shut down as a result. However, after the 
shutdown, the plants remain on location as abandoned reactors. Not 
only do they take up valuable land space, but they also could 
contaminate the surrounding areas. However, the problem is that 
shutdown reactors are often too unstable to be demolished or 
removed.

 Non Renewable Resource-Uranium is currently the sole raw 
material for generating nuclear energy. It is a scarce resource and in 
limited supply. Most countries depend on other countries for the 
constant fuel supply. Since it’s mined like any other metal, uranium’s 
availability is limited. Once we extract it all, nuclear plants will be 
rendered useless. Uranium cannot be called a renewable source due 
to its hazardous effects.


  Nuclear Leaks- When there is structural flaws or are 
improperly installed in nuclear power plant, nuclear 
reactors could leak harmful amounts of radiation into the 
environment. For example, if a containment field were to 
break suddenly, the radiation leak could be catastrophic.

  Impact on Human- Even though more than five 
decades have passed since nuclear disaster at Hiroshima 
and Nagasaki , many children are still born with physical 
and neurological defects. The nuclear effect is mentioned 
as a primary cause. The sad news is that we still have no 
remedy for these cases.


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