Jamie Purdy
Nuclear energy

Nuclear power is currently one of the most environmentally safe power resources. It produces less greenhouse gasses during the production of energy, and compared to traditional sources like coal and power plants it is much friendlier to the environment. This is just one of many reasons that I am pro nuclear power.

Nuclear reactors are run on uranium which is cheaper than other electricity generators that run on oil, gas and coal. They produce energy for 4 cents per kilowatt hour when others are more expensive for example coal is 9 cents per kilowatt hour and solar is 16 cents per kilowatt hour. The US saves roughly 12 billion dollars every year by using nuclear energy. Uranium lasts much longer than fossil fuels. Resources say that we have roughly enough uranium for 80 years. China, Russia and India have already planned to use another greener alternative in their reactors, which is Thorium. Between the two nuclear fuels, it will give us enough time to find even more ways for greener energy resources.

Because the nuclear power plants have a stable base load of energy, this means the production of energy from the plants can be lowered when wind and solar resources are good and they can be increased when the resources are bad. The technology in nuclear power is able to generate large industries and cities. Low technologies like solar don’t have the technologies to generate power for larger manufactures, more so local and residential places. Nuclear energy is one of the most efficient energy producer, it has a 91% efficiency. It is efficient because the energy is produced from nuclear reactions while other forms of energy use chemical reactions. Over 20% of US electricity is provided by nuclear power, and there are over 100 power plants across the country. Worldwide there are over 400 power plants and the number is increasing in nations because of its efficiency and green energy production.

The effects of nuclear power are less harmful than other energy production resources. Nuclear power plants do not produce air pollution or carbon dioxide (greenhouses gasses) while operating, but while fossil fuels are operating they do produce these harmful things into the air. There is no harmful effect of nuclear energy on water. Yes, some people are worried of the nuclear waste going into the air, but actions have already been taking on to bury the waste underground so it won’t affect the people or wildlife. There is radiation exposure, but research has shown that you will get more of an effect from radiation from your personal electronics than being near a nuclear power plant. Every year a nuclear plant will go through a cleaning cycle to get rid of radioactive waste.

Overall nuclear energy and nuclear power plants are the most efficient and cheapest producer and safer for the environment and over the time we have with our green producers (uranium and thorium) we will find and invent even more and safer energy producers.