Nuclear Power: An Imperfect Solution

Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, Dauphin county, PA

Nuclear power has always been a controversial source of electricity. Whether it's the radioactive waste that they generate or the possibility of a catastrophic meltdown, public opinion has never been very favorable to building nuclear power plants. Opposition to nuclear power has increased in recent years, mainly due to the Fukushima disaster that occurred in Japan after a tsunami flooded multiple nuclear power plants. German chancellor Angela Merkel responded to changing public opinion by promising to phase out all nuclear power generation in the country by 2022. This decision is just a sign of increasing concern about nuclear power around the world.

Distribution of electricity sources, 2006

This increasing opposition to nuclear power comes at a time when we need sustainable sources of energy more than ever. Although nuclear power is usually not classified as a "renewable" source of electricity, it is far more sustainable than coal, natural gas, oil, or other fossil fuels. While some point out that global reserves of uranium are relatively limited, there are ways of producing new nuclear fuel sources with "breeder reactors". Using a different nuclear process, these reactors can actually generate more fissile material than they consume. However, until the scarcity of uranium causes its price to rise, such breeder reactors will not be put into wide use. Nonetheless, the existence of breeder reactors means that nuclear power generation can be sustained much longer than the hydrocarbon-based methods that are dominant today.

US electricity production costs, 1995-2008

The main concerns about nuclear power are its safety and environmental impact, rather than its sustainability. The radioactive waste that is generated by nuclear power plants is an obvious disadvantage, as it cannot be easily disposed of in a safe way. Storing the waste in underground chambers is expensive, and there is always a risk of leaks. Adding to the fear associated with nuclear power is the risk of a meltdown, a disastrous failure of the cooling system that prevents the plant from overheating and literally melting. The most well known examples of nuclear meltdowns are the Three Mile Island disaster in 1979 (PA, United States) and the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 (Ukraine, former USSR). These two disasters had a significant effect on public opinion, and the construction of nuclear power plants declined as a result. Although the dangers of nuclear power are very real, they need to be viewed in perspective. Compared to the deaths and environmental destruction caused by pollution from fossil fuels, nuclear power seems to be a relatively safe alternative. The negative view of nuclear may be due to the dramatic visibility of its rare failures, similar to the unjustified fear of airplanes compared to automobiles. While some dream of a world powered by neither fossil fuels nor nuclear energy, those who want to find realistic solutions to the global energy crisis should recognize the necessary role of nuclear.

Nuclear power plants, 1955-2005