ENG 625 ACADEMIC WRITING

Name : Widanti Septiyani

Student Number : 202000010006

ACADEMIC WRITING
WEEK SIX ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT 8

Do not support nuclear energy

The need for electrical energy has significantly expanded due to various electronic
equipment use, such as kitchen appliances, home appliances, and lighting. It consequently
demands governments to find other energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable energy.
Non-renewable energy includes coal, gas, and oil, whereas renewable energy, often referred to as
clean energy, processes natural sources, such as wind and nuclear, to activate power plants.
However, the nuclear energy debate revolves around whether the governments should build
nuclear power plants to supply household necessities. A number of people generally think that
building and maintaining nuclear power plants will cost higher than wind and solar power plants.
Additionally, the risks posed by system failures or human errors might lead to dangerous
accidents. In short, nuclear power is not a good energy source for the world because of its cost
and danger.
Nuclear power tends to be the most costly power plant. “In June 2008, the US Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission estimated that building a new 1,000 megawatt (MW) reactor
could cost up to $7.5 billion” (Madsen et al., 2009. p. 5). Dunai, as written in Reuters (2019),
mentions that “the cost of generating solar power ranges from $36 to $44 per megawatt-hour
(MWh), while onshore wind power comes in at $29–$56 per MWh”. Despite the construction
costs, operating nuclear powers require governments to employ professional nuclear power
technicians compensated for a higher salary than the other power plant technicians. In addition to
the construction and operation costs, training and equipment or components of safety features
should also be considered to operate nuclear power plants.
Another primary concern in using nuclear energy is the safety issue. Nuclear power
plants use uranium, which releases radioactive waste into environments. It is mainly used to
generate electricity, yet the fuels are not entirely burned out in the reactor and generate waste. To
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some extent, it is difficult to dispose of or store nuclear waste products safely. “For that reason,
waste management is another major problem that has to be dealt with as nuclear waste products
from the reactors are radioactive and hazardous” (Kilic, 2016, p. 12). To summarize, working
with nuclear fuels and waste can harm workers’ health in general.
The risk of accidents in operating nuclear power plants is also the other factor against
nuclear power. In operating nuclear powers, human error might substantially contribute to
failures. Nuclear severe accidents, such as the Chernobyl (USSR in 1986), the Kola (Russia in
1991), and the Tokaimura (Japan in 1999), have exposed radioactivity to a large number of
people, affecting their physical health. These tragedies might happen because of several reasons,
such as inadequately trained personnel. Unfortunately, human error is not the only source of
nuclear power accidents. Nuclear power stations might also fail due to reactor system failures
failing to complete a safety evaluation report, such as the cooling malfunction. So far, history has
only recorded three accidents involving system failures, namely the Three Mile Island (the USA,
1979), the Tarapur (India, 1992), and the Darlington (Canada, 1992) accidents, yet the remaining
power plants might also fail in the future.
In a nutshell, nuclear energy is not the most efficient approach to address electrical needs.
Operating nuclear power plants, on the other hand, is neither affordable nor risky. Because of the
cost and the danger, the world should develop different types of energy to replace nuclear power.
Scientists have to conduct more research to find nuclear power alternatives, which are more safe
and friendly.
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REFERENCES

Dunai, Marton. and Clercq, Geert De. (2019). Nuclear energy too slow, too expensive to save
climate: report. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-energy-
nuclearpower-idUSKBN1W909J. on October 21, 2020.

Kilic, Kemal. (2016). A Survey on Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Pollution. Middle East
Technical University. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2213.2728.

Madsen, Travis. Neumann, Johanna. and Rusch, Emily. (2009). The High Cost of Nuclear
Power: Why America Should Choose a Clean Energy Future over New Nuclear Reactors.
Maryland: Maryland PIRG Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.nirs.org/wp-
content/uploads/nukerelapse/calvert/highcostnpower_mdpirg.pdf on October 21, 2020.