Nuclear Power

Nuclear Power
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation Abstract
Nuclear power forms part of the largest sources of low-carbon energy internationally. Precisely, it accounts for about 11% of the world’s energy. The first commercial generation of nuclear energy dates back to the 1950s, the period after the Second World War. Over the past six decades, the production of nuclear energy has expanded significant especially in the developed world with almost sixteen countries depending entirely on this form of power as their primary source of electricity. The generation of energy through nuclear power has proved to be environmentally-friendly as it minimizes the release of carbon and other greenhouse gases. When compared to other sources of electricity, nuclear power more efficient, reliable, and encompasses low maintenance. Regardless of these benefits, the use of nuclear energy has raised significant environmental and safety concerns related to disposal of nuclear wastes, radiation, and increased risk of calamities. So far, there have been three major calamities in the plants of Fukushima, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island. Irrespective of these concerns, evidence over sixty years demonstrates nuclear power as the safest means of electricity production.
Keywords: Nuclear power, electricity, energy, greenhouse gases, environment, safety

Nuclear Power
Nuclear technology is often associated with induced or spontaneous nuclei conversions. When released during fission, energy in the nucleus or atom that is used to generate electricity is denoted as nuclear power.

Its development began in the 1940s for the production of bombs during the Second World War. After the battle, attention on nuclear energy was diverted towards the generation of power. Over the years, nuclear energy generation has expanded across the globe. Currently, around thirty countries across the world boast of operational nuclear power plant. It is vital to note that many countries today rely partly on nuclear power. According to May (2017), states like Denmark and Italy acquire around 10% of their energy from imported nuclear power. With the ever-increasing demand for energy resources in the contemporary world, nuclear power proves to be a potential alternative.
In spite of the momentum associated with nuclear power industry over the past few decades, there are many challenges that compromise the advancement of this technology. The most pertinent of these issues revolves around environmental safety and negative public perception. Many people view the concept of nuclear power as perilous considering infamous accidents related to the Chernobyl, Fukushima Daiichi, and Three Mile Island generation plants (Rose & Sweeting, 2016). However, it is vital to note that atomic scientists linked each of these disasters to human errors. When contrasting the risks of nuclear power with those of burning fossil fuels, these fears can be considered as unfounded (Rosner & Hearn, 2017). Nuclear power is a safer source of energy than electricity generated from natural gas, coal, or oil. Nonetheless, the safety and environmental concerns related to nuclear are a critical factor to consider in decisions to proceed with this form of technology as a source of energy.
References
May, M. M. (2017). Safety first: The future of nuclear energy outside the United States. Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists, 73(1), 38-43.
Rose, T., & Sweeting, T. (2016). How safe is nuclear power? A statistical study suggests less than expected. Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists, 72(2), 112-115.
Rosner, R., & Hearn, A. (2017). What role could nuclear power play in limiting climate change? Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists, 73(1), 2-6.