Nuclear Power as Alternative Fuel Source

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, energy from nuclear power is cheaper and cleaner than other fuel sources and does not need to be imported. In 2000, nuclear power generated only 19.8 percent of U.S. electricity and no new plants were under construction. In contrast, France generated more than 75 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. Safety, environmental and policy concerns have delayed the construction of new nuclear reactors in the United States.

Nuclear Reactions

There are two types of nuclear reactions. Nuclear fusion combines atoms to create a larger atom while nuclear fission splits atoms into smaller atoms. Although research into nuclear fusion continues, all nuclear power plants currently use fission.

Fuel

Uranium-235 is the most common fuel for nuclear power plants because it is easy to split apart. Although uranium is common in the western United States, Uranium-235 is rare.

Types

There are two main types of nuclear power generators in the U.S. A boiling water reactor uses the heat generated by the nuclear reaction to turn water into steam, which drives a turbine to generate electricity. A pressurized-water reactor heats water under pressure, which prevents if from becoming steam. The pressurized water is used to heat non-radioactive water into steam, which drives the generators.

Benefits

Compared with other types of fuel such as oil and coal, nuclear power generation is very clean and does not produce the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

Warning

The two major issues with nuclear power are the need to store spent fuel assemblies, which are highly radioactive, and the risk of an accident.

References

• U.S. DOE: Nuclear Power Generation
• U.S. DOE: Nuclear Power and the Environment
• U.S. Energy Information Administration