The Complexities of Nuclear Power: Advantages, Waste Management, Opposition, and Safety Concerns

Delve into the intricate world of nuclear power through various aspects such as its advantages, challenges in nuclear waste disposal, opposition movements, reactor safety concerns, and the financial implications of accidents. Explore the history, controversies, and ongoing debates surrounding nuclear energy.

• Nuclear power
• Advantages
• Waste management
• Opposition
• Safety concerns

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Uploaded on Sep 12, 2024 | 0 Views

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1. Nuclear Power Plant Basics

2. What are the advantages of nuclear power? Nuclear Energy Institute Economic Cost What was the promise of nuclear power in the 1970s? How did that work out? Environmental costs of alternatives Did we care about global warming in 1975? Coal Wind farms, Solar Strategic issues Why has France pushed for 100% nuclear power? 2

3. The Problem of Nuclear Waste Why not just take nuclear waste to the land fill or burn it up? How long does it last? Where do we dispose of nuclear power plant waste in the US? What has stopped the development of a central depository at Yucca Mountain? Where is the waste kept now? Is preventing the disposal of waste a smart strategy for stopping nuclear power? 3

4. The Opposition to Nuclear Power Site specific opposition Mothers for Peace General Opposition NRDC 4

5. REACTOR SAFETY 5

6. Reactor Design - Traditional The failure mode is melt down with loss of coolant. 6

7. Who Pays if there is an Accident? Price-Anderson Act Allows claims, but limits liability of the industry 1st $300m - private insurance $300M-$10B - risk pool Over $13.6B - federal government What would the costs of a big accident include? TEPCO's Fukushima compensation cost to reach over $57 bn Who really pays if there is a huge accident? 7

8. THE COUP DE GRCE 8

9. Three Mile Island - March 28, 1979 9

10. Chernobyl - 26 April 1986 A graphite reactor without a containment vessel. The reactor itself burned when it melted and created a huge cloud of radioactive particles. 10

11. Fukushima Accident 2011 Images Information on the accident: http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and- Security/Safety-of-Plants/Fukushima-Accident/ 11

12. How do you Protect the Environment? Containment Self-moderating - heavy water Pellet bed reactors Manage fuel properly 12

13. Pebble Bed Reactor: A Proposed Fail-safe Design 13