Nuclear Power - Good or Bad?

Question

I need info and opinions for my debate club

Answer 1

yes, the debate club where you were sat on the sidelines not debating, spending time on yahoo answers.

sam says: your kicked out

sam says:adam says: yes i agree kick him out kick him out!

i agree with the first person to answer.#

its vital to become less dependant on fossil fuels, if we only have 10 years there is no time to tither. reduce emissions now, 'renewable' sources are too time consuming and expensive as well as producing little  electtrical energy..

Answer 2

Nuclear energy is a short term answer to an urgent problem. Nuclear Energy from Uranium is not renewable so Nuclear energy can only be a short term solution unless we utilize other methods/reuse nuclear rods.

Our energy consumption is growing faster than supply. The use of fossil fuels in electricity generation is a key contributory factor of atmospheric discharges and emissions of CO2 (a greenhouse gas). Nuclear has the advantage that a large production of energy can be made without these atmospheric discharges and Greenhouse Gas emissions.

Nuclear plants take a long time to build (8 years plus?) We need to reduce overall energy consumption, green energy can not meet demand because we have not yet built an infrastructure to supply greener, renewable energy sources.

Advantages of Nuclear Energy

Nuclear power plants could still produce electricity after coal and oil become scarce.

Produces huge amounts of energy from small amounts of fuel.

Nuclear power plants need less fuel than ones which burn fossil fuels.

It is a proven method of producing electricity.

Nuclear waste is only a problem in the place it is held/stored, not globally.

Nuclear plants are much cleaner and cheaper to fuel.

Less emissions from Nuclear plants with very strict regulations

Produces small amounts of waste.

Nuclear power does not produce smoke, carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) or sulphur dioxide so does not contribute to global warming or acid rain

The Problems with Nuclear Energy:

Negative Public Opinion

Nuclear plants are incredibly expensive to build, maintain, run and decommission.

Nuclear reactors have a short life span, only lasting about forty to fifty years.

We need to contain/store nuclear waste for thousands of years.

Governments in charge of nuclear energy/waste disposal only hold office short term.

Management issues of radioactive waste.

Public perception about Nuclear Energy as the technology was first developed as an American Weapon of Mass Destruction.

Emissions can be better controlled, but are not necessarily safer.

Transportation of radioactive materials.

Security Nuclear plants are targets for terrorists.

Nuclear Energy from Uranium is not renewable so Nuclear energy can only be a short term solution.

Health implications of mining the Uranium.

Serious accidents Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster resulting from bad management and design. Contaminated large areas with radioactivity.

NIMBY – few people want a nuclear plant in their locality.

Coal plants are a lot cheaper to build than nuclear plants.

Control of the uranium deposits (?) possibly

Careless disposal of waste in the past has led to pollution of land, rivers and the seas.

Is it good or bad? That is up to you to decide. Is it dangerous? It is a matter of opinion, it is bad and yes in my view it is dangerous because we can not really know the impact on the environment. We can't know the possible effects of containing/storing it because we need to contain/store nuclear waste for thousands of years.

Answer 3

One nuclear power plant can produce as much power as 750 wind turbines 24/7/365 while creating no green house gases.

The waste from one nuclear power plant for one year could fit under your desk.  That's less waste than a coal fired plant creates.

Nuclear waste is shipped and stored around this country every day.  There has never been any incident storing or shipping nuclear waste.

We should be building nuclear power plants right now.

Answer 4

Its bad but not quite as bad as fossil fuels, as long as it is disposed of correctly.

Answer 5

It's the ONLY WAY out of dependency on fossil fuels.