In the U.S. there are more than 60 nuclear power plants, and they supply more electricity than oil, natural gas and hydropower. In just 30 years the idea of using nuclear energy has gone from being a dream of the future to a tool of today. Even though nuclear power is safer than burning electricity for fossil fuels, it is still a hazard to our health and the environment.

What is nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy is energy that is created from the nucleus of an atom. The energy has to be released from the atom in order to supply power.

How is nuclear power created?

Nuclear power is created through one of two different processes:

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is when multiple atomic particles join together to create a larger atom. Fusion reactors join hydrogen atoms together to form helium atoms, neutrons and other forms of energy. This is the same type of nuclear energy used in hydrogen bombs.

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear Fission is the process of splitting one atom into two atoms. A nuclear reactor splits the nuclei of uranium atoms, creating large amounts of energy. This process also creates radioactive waste and radiation, which can contaminate the environment.

Where do we produce nuclear power?

Nuclear power is created in nuclear power plants, which are specifically designed to withstand the nuclear fission process. At a nuclear power plant, nuclear fission occurs inside a reactor. Inside the reactor is the core, which contains uranium pellets. These pellets are stacked together inside fuel rods. When the uranium nuclei are split, heat is created and is used to boil water into steam. This steam turns turbine blades, which generate electricity.

What is nuclear power used for?

Nuclear energy is most widely used to generate electricity. It can also be used to power nuclear submarines, to desalinate seawater and to generate heating systems.

What are the benefits of nuclear energy?

Here are some benefits of using nuclear energy:

• Cheaper than burning fossil fuels
• Does not create carbon dioxide emissions
• Produces no air pollution
• Reduces our reliance on foreign oil
• Economic growth
• Technology is available and ready to use
• Creates huge amounts of energy

What are the disadvantages of nuclear energy?

There are still many disadvantages to using nuclear power:

• Produces radioactive waste and radiation
• Nuclear power plants have high risk for injuries
• Can be used to create nuclear weapons
• Uranium is hard to scarce
• Nuclear plants are expensive to build

There are many pros and cons to using nuclear power. You can learn more about nuclear energy at the World Nuclear Association website.