Nuclear power is one of the most powerful forms of energy. We have seen a steady increase in the number of nuclear power plants in the world over the years. How does it generate energy, and what are the benefits and risks of nuclear power?
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Nuclear power is one of the most powerful forms of energy. We have seen a steady increase in the number of nuclear power plants in the world over the years. How does it generate energy, and what are the benefits and risks of nuclear power?
Nuclear energy is a reliable energy mix around the world with its high production capacity.
The nuclear power station is a type of plant used for the production of electricity through nuclear fission. It uses nuclear reactors in conjunction with the Rankine cycle, where the reactor energy converts water into a gas, spinning a turbine and a generator. Nuclear energy is still a significant energy source in the world, but it has a wide range of pros and cons.
Advantages of nuclear power plants
There are many benefits of having a nuclear power plant as fuel is not required to build steam. The electricity generated by a nuclear plant is cheap because uranium is low cost. Nuclear is a consistent and reliable energy source that can run continuously for up to a year, compared to renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.
The production of nuclear energy does not result in the emission of methane and carbon dioxide, which are responsible for global warming and greenhouse gases. The damage caused by nuclear energy sources to the atmosphere is considered minimal.
The CAPEX for setting up nuclear power is enormous, though its operational cost is low. A nuclear power plant fuel costs are also low, and the electricity they produce is not expensive either. The fluctuations in the price of uranium will have little effect on the costs of generating electricity for a nuclear power plant.
Disadvantages of nuclear power plants
However, there are concerns about the treatment of radioactive waste and toxic radiation from the reactors. One of the major issues of nuclear energy is the environmental impact of uranium. While supplying nuclear fuel to a power plant can cause pollution. There are also concerns about the process involved in mining and refining of uranium.
A large amount of nuclear waste generated by power plants will lead to high levels of radiation and other side effects.
On the other hand, the uranium reserves are small and exist in few countries. There are significant costs involve in the processes of mining and refining uranium.
More countries are considering the use of nuclear power, particularly as demand for electricity is rising and climate change issues are growing. Nuclear power has provided the world with reliable electricity for more than 50 years.
As of 2019, the world has more than 400 nuclear power plants in over 31 countries. Today, more than 14% of electricity worldwide is produced by nuclear plants. In 2018, the US alone generated 807 billion kilowatts of energy, which represented 20% of the country electricity.