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Hayden Miller

Carey Perkins

ENG101

7 July 2023

Nuclear Power: Should It Be Given A Second Chance?

Imagine having the ability to improve the lives of millions, even billions but almost

everyone perceives you as a danger and a threat to their lives and the world they live in and it is

even some peoples whole lives and careers to try and prevent you from even existing. This

unfortunately is the sad reality that nuclear power lives in. Nuclear power or sometimes referred

to as nuclear energy, is the most underlooked and ignored way to Humanity's energy needs. It

outcompetes all of its competition in all areas when compared to creating energy sources.

Despite its bad reputation nuclear power has the potential to create a better, more eco-friendly

future for Humanity.While often misunderstood as dangerous or harmful, nuclear power is the

key to cleanly and safely produce Humanity’s energy needs for the foreseeable future and should

be invested in because it does not emit greenhouse gasses when producing energy, they are very

efficient, and they are more reliable than other methods to generate power.

Firstly, one of the best things about nuclear power is that it is way less harmful to the

environment than all other sources of energy. One of the most important things about nuclear

energy is that it is better for the environment because it does not create greenhouse gases as a

byproduct of being used to generate electricity. “Nuclear energy contends first and foremost that

it produces electricity without creating any greenhouse gases” (Infobase). This ability to produce

energy demands without polluting the atmosphere is something that the world has been trying to
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do for a long time and nuclear energy solves that problem. With nuclear energy producing a

miniscule amount of waste that can be handled and disposed of safely, compared to other power

sources it is hard to choose a different method of meeting energy needs.

Another reason that is hard to ignore is nuclear power’s incredible energy density.

Nuclear fuel is astronomically more energy dense than other fuel sources, which means the

power that can be generated from a certain amount is far greater than other sources of energy

such as coal or natural gas. “If all of the matter were being converted to energy, the energy

density would be about 1021 joules per cubic meter” Layton (442). Layton clarifies just how

much this is by stating that nuclear fuel is over “10 billion times more energy dense” compared

to petrol based fuels making nuclear power the most efficient way to generate electricity. Nuclear

power’s ability to create a substantial amount of energy using an incredibly small amount of fuel

cannot be ignored when considering the use of nuclear energy.

One of many other reasons why nuclear power is better than other energy sources is its

ability to be relied on for energy at any time no matter the circumstances. Nuclear power plants

are better than other sources of energy because they are working and producing energy more

often than other forms of energy sources. “Nuclear power plants are producing maximum power

more than 92% of the time during the year. That’s about nearly 2 times more as natural gas and

coal units, and almost 3 times or more reliable than wind and solar plants” (Office). The reason

this is, is because nuclear power plants are designed to be constantly running. This combined

with the fact that it is also the most efficient way to produce electricity makes nuclear plants

incredible powerhouses of energy.

Opponents of nuclear power will often claim that the byproduct of nuclear power is

unsafe and cannot be properly disposed of. However, this is a common misconception brought
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about by fear and a misunderstanding of how nuclear power plants operate. Strict measures are

being taken to ensure the waste is stored properly and safely. There are several different methods

of storing waste that are proven to work and work well and the technology to store waste will

only get better as time progresses (Wald). While it is easy to misinterpret nuclear power as

dangerous it is important to stay informed and realize that safety is not an issue when it comes to

nuclear energy.

Knowing that nuclear power is a great way to cleanly and safely produce energy needs is

important. Because we know that nuclear power does not emit greenhouse gasses, is very

efficient, and is more reliable than other methods to generate power. Letting the world know the

importance of nuclear energy is something that needs to be done and doing anything close to that

helps. Write to your state and local government and let them know that you want them to

consider nuclear power as an energy source or tell friends and family about nuclear power and its

benefits, because nuclear power needs people just as much if not more than people need them.