Electrical energy forms the basis of modern civilization. Of all types of power plants that generate such energy, nuclear are emitted. The ability of nuclear fuel to generate heat is significantly higher than that of chemical reactions that occur when burning conventional fuel. However, the use of nuclear power plants is often hazardous and risky.
NPP advantages
Using nuclear power plants to generate electricity is a very tempting and promising idea. NPPs have a number of indisputable advantages over hydroelectric power plants and thermal power facilities. There is practically no waste, no gas emissions into the atmosphere.
When constructing nuclear power plants, for example, there is no need to build expensive dams.
In terms of environmental characteristics, only installations that use wind energy or solar radiation can be compared with nuclear power plants. But such alternative energy sources currently do not have sufficient capacity to meet the rapidly growing needs of mankind. It would seem that it is necessary to focus on the construction of exclusively nuclear power plants.
However, there are factors that prevent the widespread use of nuclear power plants. The main one is the possible harmful consequences for the life and health of people, which, in principle, bears in itself radiation, as well as insufficient development of systems that could provide protection against possible technological disasters.
What is the danger of nuclear power plants
The greatest concern of specialists is caused by the harmful effects of radiation on the organisms of people and animals. Radioactive substances can enter the body with food and breathing. They can accumulate in bones, thyroid gland, and other tissues. Severe radiation damage can cause radiation sickness and lead to death. These are just a few of the problems that radiation accidentally out of control can cause.
For this reason, when drawing up projects of nuclear power plants, one has to pay close attention to ecology and radiation safety issues. If technological failures are observed in the operation of a nuclear power plant, this can lead to consequences that are comparable to the results of the use of nuclear weapons.
The development and implementation of safety systems at nuclear power plants significantly increases the cost of construction and, accordingly, leads to an increase in the cost of electricity.
Even the most stringent and comprehensive safety measures with the current development of technology, alas, cannot provide full control over the processes taking place in a nuclear reactor. There is always a risk that the system will crash. At the same time, disasters can be caused by both personnel errors and the impact of natural factors that cannot be prevented.
Nuclear power specialists are constantly working to reduce the likelihood of equipment failures to an acceptable minimum. And yet it cannot yet be argued that they have found a trouble-free way to eliminate the harmful factors that still prevent nuclear power plants from becoming the leaders of modern energy.
