International Status and Prospects of Nuclear Power - Assignment Example

Discuss the role of nuclear power in the modern world Nuclear power plays a pivotal role in the modern world as it is a significant source to meet the energy needs of future generations. The modern world has now realized the role played by nuclear power for the production of electricity as well as environmental protection. Despite its potential destructive power, emission of carbon dioxide and other atmosphere pollutants, and proliferation risks world nations are forced to depend on nuclear power for the increased need of electricity supply. It has also been identified that nuclear power generation can prevent global warming through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as well as carbon emissions. However, nuclear power needs to address such issues as geological disposal of waste, proliferation risks and safety challenges. This paper seeks to explore the various aspects of nuclear power and in doing so the paper also deals with the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy. The potential benefits of nuclear power are many and varied. The benefits of nuclear power have prompted many nations to include nuclear priority as a significant national policy objective. In the same way, nuclear energy provides modern world nations with the opportunity to find solutions for such issues as “energy security of supply, reducing import dependence and reducing greenhouse gas or polluting emissions” (WNA Report, p. 9). Studies have also shown that nuclear power generation can reduce greenhouse gases and environmental pollutions that contribute to global warming. Similarly, the economic benefits of nuclear power have also been documented in the literature. It has been identified that even though up nuclear plants is quite expensive it is quite cheap to operate them. In the same way, nuclear energy being a renewable energy offers the possibility for reprocessing. WNA Report, in this respect, points out that “nuclear power has now become less expensive than fossil and any other form of electricity generation” (WNA Report, p. 7). In the same way, the WNA Report also shows how nuclear power can ensure ‘price stability, security of energy supply, and low-emission base load electricity.’ It can also be seen that nuclear power has become a significant predictor of whether a country is developed or not. Nuclear power also equips a nation to face threats from other nations and today all the superpowers in the world possess a considerable number of nuclear plants as well as nuclear weapons. One needs to have a thorough understanding of the various contributing factors that will trigger a nuclear revolution worldwide. The increasing fossil fuel prices and the growing demand for oils in the Middle East have prompted the European powers to rely on nuclear power as a more stable and reliable energy source. As pointed out by the World Energy Council (2007, p. 2), “the use of nuclear power for electricity generation could help reduce both EU dependence on energy imports and the price volatility of electric power, since the price of nuclear power is barely linked to the price of fossil fuel.” Similarly, there have been growing expectations, researches and speculations on nuclear power. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency the three contributing factors to nuclear power are: “growing energy demand, concern over national energy supply security, the increasingly volatile price of fossil fuels and global environmental concerns” (IAEA 2008, p. 2). All these factors have considerably increased the need for more of nuclear power plants to generate nuclear energy. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003) point out that nuclear power should be retained for future electricity supply. Today, most of the developed nations including the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) make use of nuclear power to meet the energy needs of their countries. These nations have shown a growing interest in the potential role of nuclear power to address many of the future challenges of the modern world- “the growing demand for energy and particularly for electricity, the need to find environmentally sustainable ways to provide energy, the vulnerability of numerous economies to price volatility and disruptions of fossil fuel supplies and increasing dependence on the Middle East, where two-thirds of the world’s oil reserves are concentrated” (World Energy Council 2007, p. 1). It is a fact that the European nations cannot always depend on the oil resources of the Middle East nations for their energy needs. Nuclear power plants can be used as effective alternatives to such other energy sources as coal, gas and oil. Moreover, uranium has proved to be a more effective energy source than coal, oil or gas as it is capable of yielding greater amount of energy. It has been estimated by the MIT in 2002 that nuclear energy contributes to almost 17% of the world electricity consumption and 20% of the electricity supply of the United States. The findings of the MIT also show that nuclear power plants will substantially increase electricity consumption worldwide and that nuclear power would help modern world nations to achieve economic growth and social progress (MIT 2003, p. 1). The International Atomic Energy Agency also observes that the growing need for energy sources in the modern era can only be met with the introduction and operation of new nuclear power plants globally. The IAEA statistics (2008) also reveal that approximately 6% of total energy used worldwide stem from nuclear power sources. The worldwide calculation of the contribution of nuclear energy shows that a major portion of the nuclear energy is generated in the Western Europe. In Western Europe, almost 30% of the total electricity is generated from nuclear power whereas it is 18% in North America and Eastern Europe, 1.8% in Africa, 2.6% in Latin America, 11.5% in the Far East, and 1.6 % in the Middle East and South Asia (IAEA 2008, p. 7). Similarly, one can also find successful reprocessing of nuclear power in such nations as France, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom. However, nuclear power generation faces many challenges today. The safety and reliability of nuclear plants has been questioned by many. Lack of public awareness has led to protests against nuclear plants in many parts of the nation. The fear of nuclear accidents coupled with the failure of the nuclear community to convince the public of the advantages of nuclear power have led to common misconceptions, lack of public understanding and public acceptance regarding nuclear power (World Energy Council 2007, p. 7). Nuclear accidents such as that of Chernobyl in 1986 have enhanced public horror on nuclear industry safety. It is therefore imperative that the public debate over the risks and benefits of nuclear power are adequately addressed through comprehensible and accurate information on nuclear technology. Problems associated with waste management and the huge costs for nuclear plants have also adversely affected nuclear power generation. The major challenges pointed out by the International Atomic Energy Agency include issues related to the safety and reliability of nuclear plants, improvement of economic competitiveness, ensuring public confidence in nuclear power, developing workforce competences, and successful management of spent fuel and radioactive waste (IAEA 2008, p.2). The risk factors involved while transferring nuclear material or technology also pose challenges. Similarly, effective fuel cycling and reprocessing necessitates fast reactor and closed fuel cycle. The danger of nuclear weapons raises concerns over nuclear proliferation as well. In conclusion, it can be stated that nuclear power has the potential to determine the growth and development of modern nations. The association between nuclear power and nuclear weapons has evoked public concern and fear on nuclear power generation. However, concerns over the safety and reliability of nuclear facilities have now started declining. On the other hand, one can find a growing public acceptance of nuclear power in the United States for a number of reasons. The reasons consist of the industry’s excellent nuclear safety record, increased awareness of energy needs, and the realization that it can prevent global warming (Murray, 2008, p. 225). Polls conducted in the United States have also revealed this shift in the public opinion. On the other hand, there are strong networks among countries that operate nuclear power plants making them more equipped to address common issues through latest technological innovations. In this respect, it is worthwhile to appreciate the efforts undertaken by two international forums, namely the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) and the IAEA’s International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO). Both these international bodies play crucial roles in assisting participating Member States “to assess new technology developments and how nuclear energy would be a viable option and an integral part of their future energy mix” (IAEA 2008, p. 4). Thus, one can state that nuclear power in the modern world plays a very crucial and decisive role for the energy needs as well as the overall growth and development of modern world nations. References International Atomic Energy Agency 2008, ‘International Status and Prospects of Nuclear Power’, viewed 1 March, 2013, . Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2003, ‘The future of Nuclear Power: an Interdisciplinary MIT Study’, viewed 1 March, 2013, . Murray, R.L 2008, Nuclear Energy: An Introduction to the Concepts, Systems, and Applications of Nuclear Processes, 6th edn, Butterworth-Heinemann. WNA Report, ‘The New Economics of Nuclear Power’, viewed 1 March, 2013, . World Energy Council 2007, ‘The Role of Nuclear Power in Europe’, viewed 1 March, 2013, . Read More