Pros and cons of nuclear energy (Essay Sample)

PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY. Student’s Name: Course number: Instructor’s Name: Date (MM DD, YEAR) The nuclear energy industry promises interesting benefits in far as the production of electricity is concerned. After the introduction of the commercial nuclear power stations in the 1950s, most experts believed that people would access an affordable, yet reliable, form of electricity. Today, several countries rely on nuclear energy for the production of electricity. However, the development of the technology has not been without incidents that have threatened to discredit its reliability. Worse still, there have been nuclear-related accidents whose effects are felt to this day. Due to the passion with which the issue of nuclear energy is debated, it is important to explore the pros and cons of the technology. One advantage of nuclear energy is that it offers a reliable and affordable source of electricity. Though the set-up cost for a nuclear plant is high, the production of energy, whereby uranium is used, is low. Further, the effectiveness of the machines used in the production solidifies the reliability of the technology. Due to these benefits, many countries have since embraced the nuclear energy as a source of electricity. As of 2008, about 31 countries operated a total of 441 commercial nuclear power stations that were responsible for the production of 16% of the world’s electricity. The low production costs associated with the technology translate into affordable electricity to the consumers.[Ewan McLeish, The Pros And Cons Of Nuclear Power (New York: Rosen Central, 2008), 6-7.] Additionally, the nuclear energy’s impact on the environment is not as adverse as the conventional power stations. The proponents of the nuclear technology often cite the low carbon emissions as a major advantage because there is no burning of fuel fossils. Though nuclear power poses significant risks to the environment in case of an accident, the materials used produce less carbon than the fossil fuels used in the conventional power stations1. The nuclear technology, therefore, offers the environment a remedy from the conventional methods of generating power, particularly if the accidents are reduced.[] However, the fact that accidents still occur at the nuclear plants mean that the environment is still potentially exposed to severe consequences. Sadly, the effects of such accidents affect the environment for such a long time that it might take years to recover. For instance, the effects of a 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident in the Soviet Union, modern-day Ukraine, are still felt. Despite the cleanup exercise, the "farmland and forest contamination led to reduced agricultural production”. Moreover, poor disposal of radioactive waste inevitably affects the environment. Though the proponents of the nuclear energy argue that such accidents are rare, a permanent solution for the issue is still elusive.[Peter H. Raven, David M. Hassenzahl and Linda R. Berg, Environment, 8th ed. (US: Wiley Publishers, 2012), 253.] Besides the environment, the nuclear energy poses safety threats not only to the engineers involved, but also to the residents that dwell near such plants. In the Chernobyl accident, the number of casualties was reduced significantly by the rapid resp...