NUCLEAR ENERGYNUCLEAR ENERGY

Why nuclear energy?Why nuclear energy?

Energy Conversion: Typical Heat Values of Energy Conversion: Typical Heat Values of Various Fuels Firewood 16 MJ/kg Various Fuels Firewood 16 MJ/kg

Brown coal 9 MJ/kg Brown coal 9 MJ/kg Black coal (low quality) 13-20 MJ/kg Black coal (low quality) 13-20 MJ/kg Black coal 24-30 MJ/kg Black coal 24-30 MJ/kg Natural Gas 39 MJ/m3 Natural Gas 39 MJ/m3 Crude Oil 45-46 MJ/kg Crude Oil 45-46 MJ/kg Uranium* - in light water reactor 500,000 MJ/kg Uranium* - in light water reactor 500,000 MJ/kg

(MJ = Megajoules), * natural U (MJ = Megajoules), * natural U

THE BENEFTS OF NUCLEAR THE BENEFTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGYENERGY

Power from Nuclear FusionPower from Nuclear Fusion Cost advantageCost advantage

Fusion PowerFusion Power

The fuel supply is potentially larger. The fuel supply is potentially larger. However, the uranium supply seems to However, the uranium supply seems to be large enough. be large enough.

Fission products are not produced, Fission products are not produced, although there will be induced although there will be induced radioactivity in the structures of the radioactivity in the structures of the plants. plants.

No material useful for bombs is No material useful for bombs is produced. produced.

THE DRAWBACKS TO USING THE DRAWBACKS TO USING NUCLEAR ENERGYNUCLEAR ENERGY

External Costs - Environment, External Costs - Environment, Health And Safety IssuesHealth And Safety Issues

Environmental effectsEnvironmental effects

Nuclear power stations and Nuclear power stations and reprocessing plants release an reprocessing plants release an amount of radioactive gases amount of radioactive gases

The Greenhouse EffectThe Greenhouse Effect

Certain trace gases in the earth's Certain trace gases in the earth's atmosphere so that long-wave radiation atmosphere so that long-wave radiation such as heat from the earth's surface is such as heat from the earth's surface is trapped trapped

Every power station running on black coal Every power station running on black coal means CO2 emissions of about 7 million means CO2 emissions of about 7 million tonnes per year. If brown coal is used, the tonnes per year. If brown coal is used, the amount is about 9 million tonnes. If uranium amount is about 9 million tonnes. If uranium is used in a nuclear power reactor, these is used in a nuclear power reactor, these emissions do not occur.emissions do not occur.

Health effects and Health effects and radiationradiation

Today, and particularly in relation to Today, and particularly in relation to nuclear power, there is an increased nuclear power, there is an increased emphasis on less obvious or delayed emphasis on less obvious or delayed effects of exposure to cancer-effects of exposure to cancer-inducing substances and radiation. inducing substances and radiation.

Many occupational accident statistics Many occupational accident statistics have been generated over the last have been generated over the last 40 years of nuclear reactor 40 years of nuclear reactor operations in USA and UK.operations in USA and UK.

FuelFuel Who?Who? Normalized Normalized to deathsto deaths

coalcoal workersworkers 342342

Natural gasNatural gas Workers&Workers&

publicpublic8585

HydroHydro publicpublic 883883

Nuclear Nuclear workersworkers 88

Genetic effectsGenetic effects

In a plant or animal cell the material In a plant or animal cell the material (DNA) which carries genetic (DNA) which carries genetic information necessary to cell information necessary to cell development, maintenance and development, maintenance and division is the critical target for division is the critical target for radiation radiation

Reactor safetyReactor safety

The situation to date is that in over The situation to date is that in over 10,700 reactor-years of civil 10,700 reactor-years of civil operation there has been only one operation there has been only one accident to a commercial reactor accident to a commercial reactor which was not substantially which was not substantially contained within the design and contained within the design and structure of the reactor structure of the reactor

The Market’s ChoiceThe Market’s Choice

Can we expect the market to make the Can we expect the market to make the correct choice with respect to correct choice with respect to nuclear power and accident nuclear power and accident

possibilities? possibilities?

Because this seems to be a clear case Because this seems to be a clear case of externalities, we might expect the of externalities, we might expect the

answer to be no answer to be no

Would the utility have an incentive to Would the utility have an incentive to choose the efficent level of choose the efficent level of

precaution?precaution?

In the United States full In the United States full compensation is not paid by the compensation is not paid by the individual utilities for two reasons: individual utilities for two reasons:

1)the role of the government in 1)the role of the government in sharing the risk and sharing the risk and

2)the role of insurance in underwriting 2)the role of insurance in underwriting the riskthe risk

In 1957, with the passage of the In 1957, with the passage of the Price-Anderson Act, the government Price-Anderson Act, the government underwrote the liability. That act underwrote the liability. That act provided for a liability ceiling of $560 provided for a liability ceiling of $560 million of which the government million of which the government would bear $500 million would bear $500 million

Nuclear PoliticsNuclear Politics

France: 75 percent of electricity is nuclear. France: 75 percent of electricity is nuclear. United Kingdom: A substantial continuing United Kingdom: A substantial continuing

nuclear program. They have had to switch nuclear program. They have had to switch to pressurized water reactors, a U.S. to pressurized water reactors, a U.S. invention, from their own earlier designs, invention, from their own earlier designs, and this was politically difficult. 2003: The and this was politically difficult. 2003: The present Blair government is no longer present Blair government is no longer emphasizing nuclear energy. emphasizing nuclear energy.

Germany: A large nuclear program Germany: A large nuclear program which as been stalled recently, which as been stalled recently, because the opposition Social because the opposition Social Democrats now oppose nuclear Democrats now oppose nuclear energy. energy.

Belgium: More than half its electricity Belgium: More than half its electricity is nuclear. is nuclear.

Japan: About 30 percent nuclear and Japan: About 30 percent nuclear and increasing steadily. increasing steadily.

China: A slow nuclear program is now China: A slow nuclear program is now picking up steam. picking up steam.

Taiwan: The nuclear program was Taiwan: The nuclear program was stalled after Chernobyl, but is getting stalled after Chernobyl, but is getting going again. going again.

Russia: The RBMK was a bad reactor Russia: The RBMK was a bad reactor design which contributed to the Chernobyl design which contributed to the Chernobyl disaster, but their newer reactors have disaster, but their newer reactors have used pressurized water. used pressurized water.

Ukraine: The Chernobyl disaster has Ukraine: The Chernobyl disaster has played an important role in Ukrainian played an important role in Ukrainian politics. They want Western money to politics. They want Western money to close down the plant. 2003 note: They got close down the plant. 2003 note: They got some money and closed the plant.some money and closed the plant.

In Turkey, in Energy Congress, there In Turkey, in Energy Congress, there are some plans for nuclear energy.are some plans for nuclear energy.

The studies showed that until the The studies showed that until the year 2010, Turkey needs a great year 2010, Turkey needs a great amount of energy capacity. It’s not amount of energy capacity. It’s not possible to get this energy from the possible to get this energy from the sources that we have now.So we sources that we have now.So we need new energy soruces. need new energy soruces.

Conclusion Conclusion

Overall, nuclear energy has proven to be most Overall, nuclear energy has proven to be most beneficial to our There are, however, some beneficial to our There are, however, some major drawbacks to using nuclear energy. major drawbacks to using nuclear energy.

On the other hand, we need government rules On the other hand, we need government rules to solve the energy problem. The government to solve the energy problem. The government sould ensure that the costs of energy fully sould ensure that the costs of energy fully reflect the potential large environmental costs reflect the potential large environmental costs and that fluctuating resource prices and and that fluctuating resource prices and inefficient subsidies do not undermine the inefficient subsidies do not undermine the transition to appropriate renewable energy transition to appropriate renewable energy resources that make sense in the long run. resources that make sense in the long run.

Government shoul also oversee Government shoul also oversee nuclear reactor safety and should nuclear reactor safety and should ensure that communities forced to ensure that communities forced to accept nuclear waste disposal sites accept nuclear waste disposal sites are fully compensated.are fully compensated.

The potential for an efficient allocation The potential for an efficient allocation of energy resources by the economis of energy resources by the economis

and political institutions clearly and political institutions clearly exists, even if it has not always exists, even if it has not always

occured in the past. occured in the past.

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