Nuclear Power Issues - Research Paper Example

Introduction The growing population in the world is increasing the global demand for energy. Consequently, some non-renewable sources of energy areat the risk of exhaustion. The rapid growth of energy intensive industries and adverse effects of fossil fuels further increase the demand for nuclear power (Cowan, 543). In view of these challenges, nuclear energy is being considered as one of the most appropriate alternative of energy in future. Consequently, several developing economies in the Arabian Gulf region have recently embarked on concerted efforts to develop nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs. Installation and running nuclear plants is an extremely delicate operation that has profound environmental effects. The Arabian Gulf countries have to do more research on the nuclear power before embarking on construction of nuclear plants to ensure that the environmental safety in the region is maintained. The development of nuclear power continues in the 21st century is partly driven by the increasing demand for energy especially in the rapidly developing countries. Others factors that motivate development of nuclear energy include the need for secure and stable source of power in addition to limiting carbon emissions released in the environment (Thomas, 64). However, nuclear installations present safety and waste management issues, critical factors that could even outweigh the apparent benefits of nuclear power. In the recent past, the world experienced some of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of nuclear power generation. The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster released lethal radiations after the power plant exploded. The emitted radiations spread across several European countries, causing severe health complications (Richardson et al, 53). According to WNA, about thirty-one people died from the instant explosion at the power plant and hundreds of thousand people exposed to the lethal radiations across Europe and the world. The most recent nuclear disaster occurred in March 11 2011 in Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. A powerful earthquake that hit the ocean along the coast of Japan triggered the disaster. The earthquake generated a powerful tsunami that swept across the Japanese mainland, destroying many infrastructures and human settlements along the path (WNA). The Fukushima nuclear plant was among the hardest hit infrastructure in the country by the tsunami. The tsunami disrupted power supply to the generators used to cool nuclear reactors in the plant. This initiated failure of several equipment and cooling systems causing partial and complete meltdown of various reactors in the plant. Lack of cooling system caused hydrogen explosions and fires in several reactors. In addition, the intense heat caused the fuel rods to overheat leading to the release of radioactive radiations in the environment. Besides the emissions from the broken down reactors, the plant was flooded with water that carried away the toxic radioactive wastes from the plant (WNA). The double tragedy of the tsunami and nuclear disaster made it difficult to establish the number of people who died directly from radioactive emissions from the plant. However, high concentrations of radioactive caesium and iodine emissions were recorded in a radius of about 50 km from the affected nuclear plant (Thomas, 86). The emissions were especially high in tap water and plants growing around the nuclear plant. WNA noted that the levels of iodine 131 and caesium 137 emissions from the Fukushima nuclear plant exceeded those released from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Both Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear disasters demonstrate the importance of conducting intensive research by Arabian Gulf countries before constructing nuclear plants. The lethal nature of radiations involved in nuclear reactions emphasizes the importance of installing effective safety measures to protect human beings from accidental emissions. As demonstrated in the most recent nuclear disasters, accidents at nuclear power plants contaminate large areas used for plant and animal habitation. This makes such regions unsuitable for human settlement and other uses for long period because of high toxicity levels. The running of nuclear plants presents formidable safety concerns because both external and internal factors could cause malfunctioning and subsequent release of harmful radiations as demonstrated by Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters. The Fukushima nuclear disaster demonstrated that earthquakes and other natural forces present remarkable threat to the operation of a nuclear plant. Besides natural disasters, the growing global terrorism threats have demonstrated that nuclear plants could attract formidable terror attacks. This implies that construction of nuclear plant demands designing structures that are tolerant to the strongest possible natural disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and cyclones among others. The volatile security situation in the gulf countries shows that installing nuclear plants in the region could make them vulnerable to terror attacks from militant groups and factions within the region. The stringent safety and operational requirements for installing and running nuclear plants require heavy capital and human investments. Nuclear technology has developed dramatically in the course of history with greater focus on improving efficiency and safety of the power plants. The technological advancement has increased the costs of constructing the plants and the need for hiring skilled professionals in running them. Nuclear power is one of the most recent forms of energy in the globe (WNA). The generation of nuclear energy is a culmination of sustained scientific research on the atomic structure of radioactive elements that had started in the late 1890s. Henri Becquerel conducted one of the earliest experiments of the potential of radioactive materials to generate energy in 1896 (WNA). According to WNA, he discovered that pitchblende emitted radiations that darkened photographic plate. From this experiment, Henri Becquerel established that the darkening of the plate was due to alpha and beta radiations emitted from the pitchblende. Pierre and Marie Curie later referred this emission as ‘radioactivity’ and it generated intense interest and research in the following periods (WNA). By 1898, various radioactive elements such as polonium and radium had been isolated from pitchblende and the radiations experimented on various applications such as food preservation. In the 20th century research on radioactivity intensified and in 1902, Ernest Rutherford demonstrated that the process generated a different element besides emitting the radiations spontaneously. The resulting discoveries on radioactivity were further enhanced by the advancement of atomic knowledge during the period. Some of the most important atomic discoveries included the discovery of isotopes in radioactive elements and neutron, a subatomic particle in addition to more refined knowledge on the structure and arrangement of subatomic particles in atoms (WNA). Following the discoveries, various methods of initiating nuclear changes on a substance were invented. In 1932, Walton and Cockcroft initiated nuclear reaction on radioactive materials by bombarding atoms with energized protons. Later, Enrico Fermi discovered that neutrons could be used to initiate radioactivity, generating artificial isotopes in the process. By 1939, scientist had discovered and established the approximated energy generated in nuclear reactions (WNA). According to Richardson et al (55), scientist discovered that small amounts of radioactive substance such as uranium generated enormous amounts of energy through nuclear fission. Since then, application of nuclear energy began in earnest in developed countries to make nuclear weapons and generate power for the emerging industries. Nuclear fission is the basic process through which nuclear plants generate power and the fuel used undergoes various cycles in order to undergo the process (Richardson, et al, 63). The fuel cycles involve three stages, the first which is extraction of uranium ore to produce uranium radioisotopes (U 235 and U238). The second stage entails enrichment of uranium 238 to produce Uranium 235, the nuclear fuel irradiated to generate energy in the final stage of the process. Various nuclear reactor technologies have been applied in the entire process and light water reactor (LWR) is the most widely used (Osuof, 39). These stages differ in cost, but they demand high capital investment nonetheless. Besides the energy generated at the end of nuclear process, radioactive wastes form an important component of the byproducts. The handling of nuclear wastes depends on the fuel cycle applied. In the once through fuel cycle, the waste is initially cooled in surface pools before disposing in long-term geographical repositories. The reprocessing fuel cycle involves separation of the useful nuclear materials such as plutonium from the waste. The breeder cycle produces the least amount of nuclear wastes because all radioactive byproducts are further broken down to release more energy. The breeder fuel cycle is one of the most preferable in the disposal and management of nuclear wastes, but it is not yet fully developed for use (Osuof, 52). The most commonly applied methods for disposing nuclear wastes include reprocessing and geological repository methods. Disposal of nuclear wastes requires storage for long period after using and this increases the operating costs of nuclear plants. Poor disposal could result into contamination of the soil and water sources (Thomas, 84). The security situation in the gulf region, limited capital and human capacity in nuclear technology are some of the most important issues that the countries need to address before embarking on construction of nuclear power plants. In spite of these issues, construction of nuclear power plants in the gulf region has various long-term global environmental and economic benefits in the world. According to Thomas, nuclear power generates very low carbon emissions and the abundant deposits of uranium in the world make it a cost effective and environmentally friendly source of energy in the world. Currently, climate change is one of the most challenging phenomena in the world and it is mainly caused by carbon emissions (55). According to EPA, the carbon emissions generated during production of electricity accounts to about 40% of the total amount of carbon emitted in the US. This is attributed to heavy application of coal and fossil fuels in the electricity generation process. Nuclear plants release negligible amounts of carbon emissions into the environment (Thomas). Construction of nuclear power plants in the gulf region would drastically reduce dependency on fossil fuels that emit vast amounts of greenhouse gases during electrical generation process. Nuclear power is not as vulnerable to global price fluctuations as petroleum fuels. This is because very small amounts of uranium generates vast amount of energy. Therefore, a major increase in the global price of uranium does not increase the final cost of energy significantly. The ability of small amounts of uranium to produce large amounts of energy enhances its suitability for long-term application and storage for energy generation (Osuof, 48) According to Thomas (79), fossil fuels such as oil and coal have been used for a long time and the world will run out of the reserves in not too distant future. Application of nuclear power in the gulf region will not only guarantee sustainable source of energy but also provide energy security in future. Nuclear power generation does not emit sulfur dioxide, smoke, carbon dioxide nitrogen oxides in addition to other toxic products produced during combustion of fossil fuels. Therefore, construction of the plants in the gulf countries will not only enhance the health of people in region but also mitigate the effects of global warming. Conclusion It is apparent that the gulf countries have questionable security, economic, and technological concerns that hinder safe installation and operation of nuclear plants for power generation. These concerns are not limited to the region as demonstrated by the recent nuclear disasters in developed countries. Although improper use and disposal of nuclear materials inflicts heavy environmental consequences, overdependence on fossil fuels has similarly affected the environment negatively by causing climatic changes. Nuclear energy provides a viable alternative for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing energy security in future. To ensure safe use of nuclear energy, it is important for the countries in the gulf region to address the aforementioned issues and consult widely with nuclear powers before constructing the plants. Work cited Cowan, R. “Nuclear Power Reactors: A Study in Technological Lock- In.” The Journal of Economic History 50.3(1990): 540-566. EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency). “Inventory of US greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990-2004.” 2006. Retrieved on 31 October, 2011 from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/usinventoryreport.html Osuof, N. “The potential for nuclear renaissance: The development of nuclear power under climate change mitigation policies.” June 2007. Retrieved on 1 November 2011 from http://test2-globalchange.mit.edu/files/document/Osouf_MS_07.pdf Richardson, S., et al. “A Reevaluation of Cancer Incidents near The Three Miles Islands Nuclear Plant: The Collision of Evidence and Assumptions.” Environmental Health Perspectives, 105.1(1997):52-57. Thomas, D. “The Economics of Nuclear Power: Analysis of Recent Studies.” 2005. Retrieved on1 November 2011 from http://www.psiru.org/reports/2005-09-E-Nuclear.pdf WNA (World Nuclear Association). “History of nuclear energy.” 2011. Retrieved on 1 November 2011from http://world-nuclear.org/info/inf54.html Read More