Nuclear Power

What is nuclear power?

• Nuclear Fission: Uranium 235
• Nuclear Fusion: Research

Types of reactors

• Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR)
  • Highly Pressurized liquid water
• Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)

Nuclear power

• Electricity
• Currently, nuclear energy provides the United States with about 20% of its electricity
• Future Role in the United States
• Alternative energy source

Economic Costs

• Nuclear Power Plants
  • Total costs between a couple hundred million to a billion dollars
  • Cost effective but capital intensive
  • Once in use, one of the cheapest to maintain and produce compared to gas and coal

Environmental

• Nuclear power produces little to no carbon emissions, sulfur dioxide or nitrous oxides
• Without nuclear power, estimated that more than 190 tons of more carbon will be emitted each year
• Long Term: Significant reduction in air pollution in the United States as well as worldwide

Health

• Risks from accidents
  • Three Mile Accident: Possible radiation
• Loss of life expectancy?
  • Coal: 3 to 40 days
  • Nuclear: less than an hour

Waste disposal

• Three kinds of waste: Low level, Intermediate,
  • High level - About four cubic meters is produced each year
• Yucca Mountain: Under investigation by NRC as possible long term disposal site