You have probably heard of nuclear power, whether from school or the news. It is currently experiencing a significant increase in popularity.

The increasing waste dumping contributes to annual global warming escalation, affecting climate, soil fertility, and other factors.

Nuclear power is touted as a highly dependable energy source with lower greenhouse gas emissions during electricity generation.

Constructing a nuclear power plant has both advantages and disadvantages, as outlined below:

Pros

• Low pollution: Nuclear power creates fewer greenhouse gases. It has been determined that the pollution level has cut down due to the presence of nuclear power. Nuclear power has the least effect on the environment since it doesn’t discharge any gases like methane and carbon dioxide.
•  Low operating costs: Nuclear power produces cheap electricity and the cost of uranium is low.
• Reliability: Nuclear power has a lot of reliability as the duration of uranium can last up to 70-80 years. A nuclear power plant can run uninterrupted for even a year and can also run in any weather condition.
• Proficient than fossil fuels: Nuclear power has a high energy density than fossil fuels which is the primary reason for using this source of energy. The required amount of nuclear power plant is less than what is required by fossil fuels. This is one of the best advantages of not relying on fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

Cons

• Radioactive: A nuclear power plant emits up to 20 metric tons of nuclear power every year. The element that contains nuclear power is uranium, which is highly radioactive and it produces a lot of nuclear waste. The wastes transmit radiation and high temperatures, and it destroy living things and plants around it.
• Environmental damage: The biggest problem with setting up a nuclear power plant is the environmental impact. The process of refining and mining uranium is dirty. Once uranium is used, it cannot be dumped to a landfill site as uranium is dangerous to use.
• Expensive to build: Building a nuclear power plant requires massive investment as it requires giant stores. This process requires permission from several international authorities and regional ministries of the environment.
• Non-renewable: Nuclear power is not a renewable source of energy. Once uranium is utilized, it cannot be produced again and again. Also, the availability of uranium is limited and can be found in certain locations in rocks, soil, and rivers.
• Health hazard: Nuclear power can cause serious health issues such as joint deformity, breathing problems, etc. The situation happened back in 26th April 1986, there was a nuclear accident in Ukraine at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It was considered the worst nuclear disaster in history.

The answer

All in all, there is no ‘right’ choice of using a sustainable energy source without damaging the environment. Things have to be balanced, and building a nuclear power plant is not an easy task.

Governments and environmental authorities must prioritize producing a sustainable energy source without harming species and the environment. While solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass are alternative energy sources to be considered, their advantages and disadvantages must also be considered.

So try not to damage the environment and make it go green and clean!