Why nuclear power is being looked at as an

alternative energy source

By National Geographic Society, adapted by Newsela staff on 10.30.19
Word Count 1,047
Level 840L

About 450 nuclear reactors, including this one in Germany, provide about 11 percent of the world's electricity. Photo by: RelaxFoto.de/Getty
Images

Atoms are the smallest unit of matter, which is anything that takes up space. Every atom has a
nucleus at its center. Nuclear power is created by splitting atoms apart. This process is called
nuclear fission, and it releases the energy held in the nucleus. It creates heat that is later cooled,
usually by water. This creates steam. The steam spins a turbine that is connected to a generator.
This generator produces electricity.

This process for creating nuclear power takes place in structures called nuclear reactors. There are
about 450 nuclear reactors in the world. Together, they provide about 11 percent of the planet's
electricity. The United States generates the most nuclear power in the world. France, China,
Russia and South Korea also generate much of the world's nuclear power.

How Nuclear Power Is Created

Nuclear fuel is the fuel that is used in a reactor to help create a nuclear reaction. The most
common fuel for nuclear power is uranium. The metal is found all in large quantities all over the

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

world. Uranium is mined and then turned into a stronger version called U-235. This version is
radioactive, which means the atoms are unstable. U-235 is used as fuel in nuclear reactors because
its atoms can be split apart easily.

Neutrons are neutral particles found inside nuclei. In a nuclear reactor, neutrons smash into
atoms and cause them to split. That collision releases more neutrons that react with more atoms,
creating a nuclear chain reaction. During the reaction, plutonium is produced. Plutonium is a
radioactive chemical element. It can also be used as nuclear fuel.

The U.S. uses two main types of reactors. These are boiling water reactors and pressurized water
reactors. They both produce steam. Boiling water reactors heat water to the boiling point to release
steam. In pressurized water reactors, the water does not boil. Instead, it funnels heat to a
secondary water supply in order to generate steam.

Different types of reactors are used in other countries. Gas-cooled reactors are often used in the
United Kingdom. Gas-cooled reactors use carbon dioxide as the cooling agent instead of water.
Another type of reactor is the fast neutron reactor. Fast neutron reactors are cooled using liquid
sodium.

The idea of nuclear power began in the 1930s. Physicist Enrico Fermi was the first to demonstrate
that neutrons could split atoms. Fermi led a team that achieved the first nuclear chain reaction.
The reaction was completed under a stadium at the University of Chicago in 1942. This was
followed by a series of major nuclear events in the 1950s. The first electricity from atomic energy
was produced at Idaho's Experimental Breeder Reactor I in 1951. The first nuclear power plant was
built in 1954 in what is now Russia. The first commercial nuclear power plant was built in
Shippingport, Pennsylvania in 1957.

The Future Of The Nuclear Power Industry

Nuclear power isn't considered renewable energy like wind or solar. It relies on uranium, which is
a mined, limited resource. However, nuclear power does not release greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases rise into the atmosphere and cause the planet to warm up. Supporters of
nuclear power say it is better for the environment than coal or natural gas. Leslie Dewan is an
engineer who works with National Geographic. She wants to bring back molten salt
reactors. These reactors use a different type of fuel. They use liquid uranium dissolved in molten
salt. Dewan says molten salt reactors are safer than other reactors. They are also cheaper.

Other people are working on designing smaller reactors. These would be movable and easier to
build. Inventions like those could help save the nuclear power industry, which is in trouble.
Today's nuclear plants are getting older. New ones are more expensive than natural gas and
renewable sources.

The best bet for the future of nuclear power involves nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion does the
opposite of nuclear fission. Nuclear fusion generates energy when two light nuclei smash together.
This forms a single, heavier nucleus. Fusion could deliver more energy more safely. It would also
produce far less harmful radioactive waste than fission. However, only a small number of people
have managed to build working nuclear fusion reactors. One of those people is a 14-year-old from
Arkansas. A handful of scientific organizations are working on creating more affordable versions.
So far, none have succeeded.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.

Safety Questions Raised After Past Accidents

When arguing against nuclear power, people often point to two problems. The first is the nuclear
waste that is created during the process. The second problem is the rare chance of terrible nuclear
accidents. One such accident happened in 1986 at a plant called Chernobyl. The deadly Chernobyl
disaster occurred in Ukraine, a country in eastern Europe. The accident happened when flawed
reactor design and human mistakes caused a power surge. This caused one of the reactors to
explode. Large amounts of radioactivity were released into the air. Hundreds of thousands of
people were forced from their homes. Today, the area surrounding the plant is known as the
Exclusion Zone. Tourists can visit this area with a guide, but only animals live there now. These
animals include gray wolves.

Another famous nuclear accident happened in 2011 at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant. An
earthquake and the resulting tidal wave caused the accident. Even today, the surrounding towns
struggle to recover. Residents who left their homes are afraid to return.

Another accident occurred at the The Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. In 1979, one of the
reactors had a partial meltdown. These accidents are terrifying examples of nuclear power's
radioactive risks. The Fukushima disaster in particular raised important questions. It made people
question if it was safe to build power plants in earthquake zones. The Metsamor power station is
located in an earthquake zone in Armenia, a small country in eastern Europe.

Another issue related to nuclear power is where and how to store the spent fuel, or nuclear waste.
This waste remains dangerously radioactive for thousands of years. Many nuclear power plants are
located on or near coasts. This allows them to be close to water for cooling. But climate change
could cause trouble for plants near the water. The plants will have to face rising sea levels and
more extreme storms.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com.