Nuclear Energy Explained
Nuclear power, the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity, contributes nearly 20 percent of the electricity generated in America. The United States has used nuclear power for more than 60 years to produce reliable, low-carbon energy and to support national defense activities.
Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity, but it must first be released from the atom. Nuclear energy is a form of energy released from the nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of protons and neutrons. This source of energy can be produced in two ways: fission – when nuclei of atoms split into several parts – or fusion – when nuclei fuse together.
The nuclear energy harnessed around the world today to produce electricity is through nuclear fission, while technology to generate electricity from fusion is at the R&D phase.
Nuclear power is generated by splitting atoms to release the energy held at the core, or nucleus, of those atoms. This process, nuclear fission, generates heat that is directed to a cooling agent—usually water. The resulting steam spins a turbine connected to a generator, producing electricity.
About 450 nuclear reactors provide about 11 percent of the world's electricity. The countries generating the most nuclear power are, in order, the United States, France, China, Russia, and South Korea.
The most common fuel for nuclear power is uranium, an abundant metal found throughout the world. Mined uranium is processed into U-235, an enriched version used as fuel in nuclear reactors because its atoms can be split apart easily.
In a nuclear reactor, neutrons—subatomic particles that have no electric charge—collide with atoms, causing them to split. That collision—called nuclear fission—releases more neutrons that react with more atoms, creating a chain reaction. A byproduct of nuclear reactions, plutonium, can also be used as nuclear fuel.
Nuclear energy, also called atomic energy, energy that is released in significant amounts in processes that affect atomic nuclei, the dense cores of atoms. It is distinct from the energy of other atomic phenomena such as ordinary chemical reactions, which involve only the orbital electrons of atoms. One method of releasing nuclear energy is by controlled nuclear fission in devices called reactors, which now operate in many parts of the world for the production of electricity. Another method for obtaining nuclear energy, controlled nuclear fusion, holds promise but has not been perfected by 2020. Nuclear energy has been released explosively by both nuclear fusion and nuclear fission.
The Energy Department's Office of Nuclear Energy’s primary mission is to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of making major contributions in meeting our nation’s energy supply, environmental, and energy security needs. By focusing on the development of advanced nuclear technologies, NE supports the Administration’s goals of providing domestic sources of secure energy, reducing greenhouse gases, and enhancing national security.
Nuclear power remains an important part of our nation’s energy portfolio, as we strive to reduce carbon emissions and address the threat of global climate change.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Nuclear energy is energy in the core of an atom
5 Fast Facts About Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy is energy in the core of an atom
Atoms are tiny particles in the molecules that make up gases, liquids, and solids. Atoms are made up of three particles, called protons, neutrons, and electrons. An atom has a nucleus (or core) containing protons and neutrons, which is surrounded by electrons. Protons carry a positive electrical charge, and electrons carry a negative electrical charge. Neutrons do not have an electrical charge. Enormous energy is present in the bonds that hold the nucleus together. This nuclear energy can be released when those bonds are broken. The bonds can be broken through nuclear fission, and this energy can be used to produce (generate) electricity.
The sun is basically a giant ball of hydrogen gas undergoing fusion and giving off vast amounts of energy in the process.
In nuclear fission, atoms are split apart, which releases energy. All nuclear power plants use nuclear fission, and most nuclear power plants use uranium atoms. During nuclear fission, a neutron collides with a uranium atom and splits it, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation. More neutrons are also released when a uranium atom splits. These neutrons continue to collide with other uranium atoms, and the process repeats itself over and over again. This process is called a nuclear chain reaction. This reaction is controlled in nuclear power plant reactors to produce the desired amount of heat.
Nuclear energy can also be released in nuclear fusion, where atoms are combined or fused together to form a larger atom. Fusion is the source of energy in the sun and stars.
Nuclear power plants have supplied about 20% of annual U.S. electricity generation since 1990.
Nuclear fuel—uranium
Uranium is the fuel most widely used by nuclear plants for nuclear fission. Uranium is considered a nonrenewable energy source, even though it is a common metal found in rocks worldwide. Nuclear power plants use a certain kind of uranium, referred to as U-235, for fuel because its atoms are easily split apart. Although uranium is about 100 times more common than silver, U-235 is relatively rare.
Most U.S. uranium ore is mined in the western United States. Once uranium is mined, the U-235 must be extracted and processed before it can be used as a fuel.
In nuclear fission the nucleus of an atom, such as that of uranium or plutonium.breaks up into two lighter nuclei of roughly equal mass. The process may take place spontaneously in some cases or may be induced by the excitation of the nucleus with a variety of particles (e.g., neutrons, protons, deuterons, or alpha particles) or with electromagnetic radiation in the form of gamma rays. In the fission process a large quantity of energy is released, radioactive products are formed, and several neutrons are emitted. These neutrons can induce fission in a nearby nucleus of fissionable material and release more neutrons that can repeat the sequence, causing a chain reaction in which a large number of nuclei undergo fission and an enormous amount of energy is released. If controlled in a nuclear reactor, such a chain reaction can provide power for society’s benefit. If uncontrolled, as in the case of the so-called atomic bomb, it can lead to an explosion of awesome destructive force.
Britannica Quiz Energy & Fossil Fuels
Nuclear fusion is the process by which nuclear reactions between light elements form heavier elements. In cases where the interacting nuclei belong to elements with low atomic numbers (e.g., hydrogen [atomic number 1] or its isotopes deuterium and tritium), substantial amounts of energy are released. The vast energy potential of nuclear fusion was first exploited in thermonuclear weapons, or hydrogen bombs, which were developed in the decade immediately following World War II. The potential peaceful applications of nuclear fusion, especially in view of the essentially limitless supply of fusion fuel on Earth, have encouraged an immense effort to harness this process for the production of power. Although practical fusion reactors have not been built yet, the necessary conditions of plasma temperature and heat insulation have been largely achieved, suggesting that fusion energy for electric-power production is now a serious possibility. Commercial fusion reactors promise an inexhaustible source of electricity for countries worldwide.
thermonuclear reaction, fusion of two light atomic nuclei into a single heavier nucleus by a collision of the two interacting particles at extremely high temperatures, with the consequent release of a relatively large amount of energy. Chains of thermonuclear reactions, such as the proton-proton cycle (q.v.) and the carbon cycle (q.v.), account for the energy radiated from the Sun and most other stars. In an uncontrolled state, this type of nuclear reaction is responsible for the destructive force of thermonuclear bombs.
Fast Facts
Nuclear Tectonics
The decay of uranium deep inside the Earth is responsible for most of the planet's geothermal energy, causing plate tectonics and continental drift.
Three Mile Island
The worst nuclear accident in the United States happened at the Three Mile Island facility near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1979. The cooling system in one of the two reactors malfunctioned, leading to an emission of radioactive fallout. No deaths or injuries were directly linked to the accident.
Advantages and Challenges of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear energy protects air quality by producing massive amounts of carbon-free electricity. It powers communities in 28 U.S. states and contributes to many non-electric applications, ranging from the medical field to space exploration.
Advantages of Nuclear Energy
Clean Energy Source
Nuclear is the largest source of clean power in the United States. It generates nearly 800 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year and produces more than half of the nation’s emissions-free electricity. This avoids more than 470 million metric tons
of carbon each year, which is the equivalent of removing 100 million cars off of the road.
Creates Jobs
The nuclear industry supports nearly half a million jobs in the United States and contributes an estimated $60 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product each year. U.S. nuclear plants can employ up to 700 workers with salaries that are 30% higher than the local average. They also contribute billions of dollars annually to local economies through federal and state tax revenues.
Supports National Security
A strong civilian nuclear sector is essential to U.S. national security and energy diplomacy. The United States must maintain its global leadership in this arena to influence the peaceful use of nuclear technologies. The U.S. government works with countries in this capacity to build relationships and develop new opportunities for the nation’s nuclear technologies.
Challenges of Nuclear Energy
Public Awareness
Commercial nuclear power is sometimes viewed by the general public as a dangerous or unstable process. This perception is often based on three global nuclear accidents, its false association with nuclear weapons, and how it is portrayed on popular television shows and films.
DOE and its national labs are working with industry to develop new reactors and fuels that will increase the overall performance of these technologies and reduce the amount of nuclear waste that is produced.
DOE also works to provide accurate, fact-based information about nuclear energy through its social media and STEM outreach efforts to educate the public on the benefits of nuclear energy.
Used Fuel Transportation, Storage and Disposal
Many people view used fuel as a growing problem and are apprehensive about its transportation, storage, and disposal. DOE is responsible for the eventual disposal and associated transport of all commercial used fuel, which is currently securely stored at 76 reactor or storage sites in 34 states. For the foreseeable future, this fuel can safely remain at these facilities until a permanent disposal solution is determined by Congress.
DOE is currently evaluating nuclear power plant sites and nearby transportation infrastructure to support the eventual transport of used fuel away from these sites. It is also developing new, specially designed railcars to support large-scale transport of used fuel in the future.
Constructing New Power Plants
Building a nuclear power plant can be discouraging for stakeholders. Conventional reactor designs are considered multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. High capital costs, licensing and regulation approvals, coupled with long lead times and construction delays, have also deterred public interest.
DOE is rebuilding its nuclear workforce by supporting the construction of two new reactors at Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia. The units are the first new reactors to begin construction in the United States in more than 30 years. The expansion project will support up to 9,000 workers at peak construction and create 800 permanent jobs at the facility when the new units begin operation in 2023.
DOE is also supporting the development of smaller reactor designs, such as microreactors and small modular reactors, that will offer even more flexibility in size and power capacity to the customer. These factory-built systems are expected to dramatically reduce construction timelines and will make nuclear more affordable to build and operate.
High Operating Costs
Challenging market conditions have left the nuclear industry struggling to compete. DOE’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program is working to overcome these economic challenges by modernizing plant systems to reduce operation and maintenance costs, while improving performance. In addition to its materials research that supports the long-term operation of the nation’s fleet of reactors, the program is also looking to diversify plant products through non-electric applications such as water desalination and hydrogen production.
To further improve operating costs. DOE is also working with industry to develop new fuels and cladding known as accident tolerant fuels. These new fuels could increase plant performance, allowing for longer response times and will produce less waste. Accident tolerant fuels could gain widespread use by 2025.
Energy.gov Advantages-and-challenges-nuclear-energy
The Science of Nuclear Power
What is nuclear fission?
Nuclear fission is a reaction where the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei, while releasing energy.
For instance, when hit by a neutron, the nucleus of an atom of uranium-235 splits into two smaller nuclei, for example a barium nucleus and a krypton nucleus and two or three neutrons. These extra neutrons will hit other surrounding uranium-235 atoms, which will also split and generate additional neutrons in a multiplying effect, thus generating a chain reaction in a fraction of a second.
Each time the reaction occurs, there is a release of energy in the form of heat and radiation. The heat can be converted into electricity in a nuclear power plant, similarly to how heat from fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil is used to generate electricity.
Nuclear fission (Graphic: A. Vargas/IAEA)
How does a nuclear power plant work?
Inside nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors and their equipment contain and control the chain reactions, most commonly fuelled by uranium-235, to produce heat through fission. The heat warms the reactor’s cooling agent, typically water, to produce steam. The steam is then channelled to spin turbines, activating an electric generator to create low-carbon electricity.
Find more details about the different types of nuclear power reactors on this page.
Pressurized water reactors are the most used in the world. (Graphic: A. Vargas/IAEA)
Mining, enrichment and disposal of uranium
Uranium is a metal that can be found in rocks all over the world. Uranium has several naturally occurring isotopes, which are forms of an element differing in mass and physical properties but with the same chemical properties. Uranium has two primordial isotopes: uranium-238 and uranium-235. Uranium-238 makes up the majority of the uranium in the world but cannot produce a fission chain reaction, while uranium-235 can be used to produce energy by fission but constitutes less than 1 per cent of the world’s uranium.
To make natural uranium more likely to undergo fission, it is necessary to increase the amount of uranium-235 in a given sample through a process called uranium enrichment. Once the uranium is enriched, it can be used effectively as nuclear fuel in power plants for three to five years, after which it is still radioactive and has to be disposed of following stringent guidelines to protect people and the environment. Used fuel, also referred to as spent fuel, can also be recycled into other types of fuel for use as new fuel in special nuclear power plants.
What is the Nuclear Fuel Cycle?
The nuclear fuel cycle is an industrial process involving various steps to produce electricity from uranium in nuclear power reactors. The cycle starts with the mining of uranium and ends with the disposal of nuclear waste.
Nuclear waste
The operation of nuclear power plants produces waste with varying levels of radioactivity. These are managed differently depending on their level of radioactivity and purpose. See the animation below to learn more about this topic.
Radioactive Waste Management
Radioactive waste makes up a small portion of all waste. It is the by-product of millions of medical procedures each year, industrial and agricultural applications that use radiation and nuclear reactors that generate around 11 % of global electricity. This animation explains how radioactive waste is managed to protect people and the environment from radiation now and in the future.
The next generation of nuclear power plants, also called innovative advanced reactors, will generate much less nuclear waste than today’s reactors. It is expected that they could be under construction by 2030.
Nuclear power and climate change
Nuclear power is a low-carbon source of energy, because unlike coal, oil or gas power plants, nuclear power plants practically do not produce CO2 during their operation. Nuclear reactors generate close to one-third of the world’s carbon free electricity and are crucial in meeting climate change goals.
To find out more about nuclear power and the clean energy transition, read this edition of the IAEA Bulletin.
What is the role of the IAEA?
- The IAEA establishes and promotes international standards and guidance for the safe and secure use of nuclear energy to protect people and the environment.
- The IAEA supports existing and new nuclear programmes around the world by providing technical support and knowledge management. Through the Milestones Approach, the IAEA provides technical expertise and guidance to countries that want to develop a nuclear power programme as well as to those who are decommissioning theirs.
- Through its safeguards and verification activities, the IAEA oversees that nuclear material and technologies are not diverted from peaceful use.
- Review missions and advisory services led by the IAEA provide guidance on the activities necessary during the lifetime of production of nuclear energy: from the mining of uranium to the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of nuclear power plants and the management of nuclear waste.
- The IAEA administers a reserve of low enriched uranium (LEU) in Kazakhstan, which can be used as a last resort by countries that are in urgent need of LEU for peaceful purposes.
This article was first published on iaea.org iaea.org what-is-nuclear-energy-the-science-of-nuclear-power
Types of nuclear reactors
In the U.S. most nuclear reactors are either boiling water reactors, in which the water is heated to the boiling point to release steam, or pressurized water reactors, in which the pressurized water does not boil but funnels heat to a secondary water supply for steam generation. Other types of nuclear power reactors include gas-cooled reactors, which use carbon dioxide as the cooling agent and are used in the U.K., and fast neutron reactors, which are cooled by liquid sodium.
Nuclear energy history
The idea of nuclear power began in the 1930s, when physicist Enrico Fermi first showed that neutrons could split atoms. Fermi led a team that in 1942 achieved the first nuclear chain reaction, under a stadium at the University of Chicago. This was followed by a series of milestones in the 1950s: the first electricity produced from atomic energy at Idaho's Experimental Breeder Reactor I in 1951; the first nuclear power plant in the city of Obninsk in the former Soviet Union in 1954; and the first commercial nuclear power plant in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, in 1957.
Nuclear power, climate change, and future designs
Nuclear power isn't considered renewable energy, given its dependence on a mined, finite resource, but because operating reactors do not emit any of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, proponents say it should be considered a climate change solution. National Geographic emerging explorer Leslie Dewan, for example, wants to resurrect the molten salt reactor, which uses liquid uranium dissolved in molten salt as fuel, arguing it could be safer and less costly than reactors in use today.
Others are working on small modular reactors that could be portable and easier to build. Innovations like those are aimed at saving an industry in crisis as current nuclear plants continue to age and new ones fail to compete on price with natural gas and renewable sources such as wind and solar.
The holy grail for the future of nuclear power involves nuclear fusion, which generates energy when two light nuclei smash together to form a single, heavier nucleus. Fusion could deliver more energy more safely and with far less harmful radioactive waste than fission, but just a small number of people--including a 14-year-old from Arkansas—have managed to build working nuclear fusion reactors. Organizations such as ITER in France and Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics are working on commercially viable versions, which so far remain elusive.
Nuclear power risks
When arguing against nuclear power, opponents point to the problems of long-lived nuclear waste and the specter of rare but devastating nuclear accidents such as those at Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima Daiichi in 2011. The deadly Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine happened when flawed reactor design and human error caused a power surge and explosion at one of the reactors. Large amounts of radioactivity were released into the air, and hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes. Today, the area surrounding the plant—known as the Exclusion Zone—is open to tourists but inhabited only by the various wildlife species, such as gray wolves, that have since taken over.
In the case of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi, the aftermath of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami caused the plant's catastrophic failures. Several years on, the surrounding towns struggle to recover, evacuees remain afraid to return, and public mistrust has dogged the recovery effort, despite government assurances that most areas are safe.
Other accidents, such as the partial meltdown at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island in 1979, linger as terrifying examples of nuclear power's radioactive risks. The Fukushima disaster in particular raised questions about safety of power plants in seismic zones, such as Armenia's Metsamor power station.
Other issues related to nuclear power include where and how to store the spent fuel, or nuclear waste, which remains dangerously radioactive for thousands of years. Nuclear power plants, many of which are located on or near coasts because of the proximity to water for cooling, also face rising sea levels and the risk of more extreme storms due to climate change.
Christina Nunez Nationalgeographic Nuclear-energy
Nuclear
Nuclear
energy
is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an
atom. Atoms are tiny units that make up all
matter in the universe, and energy is what
holds the nucleus together. There is a huge amount of energy in an atom's dense
nucleus. In fact, the power that holds the nucleus together is officially called
the "strong force."
Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity,
but it must first be released from the atom. In the process of nuclear
fission, atoms are split to release that energy.
A nuclear reactor, or
power plant, is a series of machines that
can control nuclear fission to produce electricity. The
fuel that nuclear reactors use to produce
nuclear fission is pellets of the element
uranium. In a nuclear reactor, atoms of
uranium are forced to break apart. As they split, the atoms release tiny
particles called fission products. Fission
products cause other uranium atoms to split, starting a
chain reaction. The energy released from
this chain reaction creates heat.
The heat created by nuclear fission warms the reactor's
cooling agent. A cooling agent is usually
water, but some nuclear reactors use liquidmetal
or moltensalt. The cooling agent, heated by
nuclear fission, produces steam. The steam
turns turbines, or wheels turned by a
flowing current. The turbines drive
generators, or engines that create
electricity.
Rods of material called nuclear poison can
adjust how much electricity is produced. Nuclear poisons are materials, such as
a type of the element xenon, that
absorb some of the fission products created
by nuclear fission. The more rods of nuclear poison that are present during the
chain reaction, the slower and more controlled the reaction will be. Removing
the rods will allow a stronger chain reaction and create more electricity.
As of 2011, about 15 percent of the world's electricity is
generated by nuclear power plants. The
United States has more than 100 reactors, although it creates most of its
electricity from fossil fuels and
hydroelectric energy. Nations such as
Lithuania, France, and Slovakia create almost all of their electricity from
nuclear power plants.
Nuclear Food: Uranium
Uranium is the fuel most widely used to produce nuclear energy. That's because uranium atoms split apart relatively easily. Uranium is also a very common element, found in rocks all over the world. However, the specific type of uranium used to produce nuclear energy, called U-235, is rare. U-235 makes up less than one percent of the uranium in the world.
Although
some of the uranium the United States uses is mined in this country, most is
imported. The U.S. gets uranium from
Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Once uranium is mined, it
must be extracted from other
minerals. It must also be processed before
it can be used.
Because nuclear fuel can be used to create nuclear
weapons as well as nuclear reactors, only nations that are part of the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are
allowed to import uranium or plutonium,
another nuclear fuel. The treaty promotes the peaceful use of nuclear fuel, as
well as limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.
A typical nuclear reactor uses about 200 tons of uranium every year. Complex
processes allow some uranium and plutonium to be re-enriched or
recycled. This reduces the amount of
mining, extracting, and processing that
needs to be done.
Nuclear Energy and People
Nuclear
energy produces electricity that can be used to power homes, schools,
businesses, and hospitals. The first nuclear reactor to produce electricity was
located near Arco, Idaho. The Experimental Breeder Reactor began powering itself
in 1951. The first nuclear power plant designed to provide energy to a community
was established in Obninsk, Russia, in 1954.
Building nuclear reactors requires a high level of
technology, and only the countries that have signed the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty can get the uranium or plutonium that is required. For
these reasons, most nuclear power plants are located in the developed world.
Nuclear power plants produce renewable, clean
energy. They do not pollute the air
or release greenhouse gases. They can be
built in urban or rural areas, and do not
radically alter the environment around them.
The steam powering the turbines and generators is ultimately recycled. It is
cooled down in a separate structure called a
cooling tower. The steam turns back into water and can be used again to
produce more electricity. Excess steam is simply recycled into the
atmosphere, where it does little harm as
clean water vapor.
However, the byproduct of nuclear energy is
radioactive material. Radioactive material
is a collection of unstable atomic nuclei.
These nuclei lose their energy and can affect many materials around them,
including organisms and the environment. Radioactive material can be extremely
toxic, causing
burns and increasing the risk for cancers,
blood diseases, and bone decay.
Radioactive
waste
is what is left over from the operation of a nuclear reactor. Radioactive waste
is mostly protective clothing worn by workers, tools, and any other material
that have been in contact with radioactive dust. Radioactive waste is
long-lasting. Materials like clothes and tools can stay radioactive for
thousands of years. The government regulates
how these materials are disposed of so they don't
contaminate anything else.
Used fuel and rods of nuclear poison are extremely radioactive. The used uranium
pellets must be stored in special containers that look like large swimming
pools. Water cools the fuel and insulates
the outside from contact with the radioactivity. Some nuclear plants store their
used fuel in dry storage tanks above ground.
The storage sites for radioactive waste have become very
controversial in the United States. For
years, the government planned to construct an
enormousnuclear wastefacility near Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for instance.
Environmental groups and local citizens protested the plan. They worried about
radioactive waste leaking into the water supply and the Yucca Mountain
environment, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the large
urban area of Las Vegas, Nevada. Although
the government began investigating the site in 1978, it stopped planning for a
nuclear waste facility in Yucca Mountain in 2009.
Chernobyl
Critics of
nuclear energy worry that the storage facilities for radioactive waste will
leak, crack, or erode. Radioactive material
could then contaminate the soil and groundwater
near the facility. This could lead to serious health problems for the people and
organisms in the area. All communities would have to be
evacuated.
This is what happened in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986. A steam explosion at one
of the power plants four nuclear reactors caused a fire, called a
plume. This plume was highly radioactive,
creating a cloud of radioactive particles that fell to the ground, called
fallout. The fallout spread over the
Chernobyl facility, as well as the surrounding area. The fallout drifted with
the wind, and the particles entered the water cycle
as rain. Radioactivity traced to Chernobyl fell as rain over Scotland and
Ireland. Most of the radioactive fallout fell in Belarus.
The
environmental impact of the
Chernobyl disaster was
immediate. For kilometers around the
facility, the pineforest dried up and died.
The red color of the dead pines earned this area the nickname the
Red Forest. Fish from the nearby Pripyat
River had so much radioactivity that people could no longer eat them.
Cattle and horses in the area died.
More than 100,000 people were relocated
after the disaster, but the number of human
victims of Chernobyl is difficult to
determine. The effects of
radiation poisoning only appear after many
years. Cancers and other diseases can be very difficult to trace to a single
source.
Future of Nuclear Energy
Nuclear
reactors use fission, or the splitting of atoms, to produce energy. Nuclear
energy can also be produced through fusion, or joining (fusing) atoms together.
The sun, for instance, is constantly undergoing
nuclear fusion as hydrogen atoms
fuse to form
helium. Because all life on our planet depends on the sun, you could say
that nuclear fusion makes life on Earth possible.
Nuclear power plants do not have the capability
to safely and reliably produce energy from nuclear fusion. It's not clear
whether the process will ever be an option for producing electricity. Nuclear
engineers are researching nuclear fusion, however, because the process will
likely be safe and cost-effective.
Articles & Profiles National Geographic Environment: The controversial future of nuclear power in the U.S.
website U.S. Department of Energy: Nuclear Energy
Education Nationalgeographic Nuclear-energy
5 Fast Facts About Nuclear Energy
1. Nuclear power plants produced 772 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2022
U.S. nuclear power plants generated 772 billion kilowatt hours
of electricity in 2022. That's enough to power more than 72 million homes! U.S. reactors have supplied around 20% of the nation's power since the 1990s and are also the largest producer of nuclear energy in world.
2. Nuclear power provides nearly half of America's clean energy
Nuclear energy provided 47% of America’s carbon-free electricity in 2022, making it the largest domestic source of clean energy.
Nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity.
They produce power by boiling water to create steam that spins a turbine. The water is heated by a process called fission, which makes heat by splitting apart uranium atoms inside a nuclear reactor core.
3. Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable energy sources in America
Nuclear power plants operated at full capacity more than 92%
of the time in 2022—making it the most reliable energy source in America. That’s about 1.5 to 2 times more reliable as natural gas (56.7%) and coal (47.8%) plants, and roughly 2.5 to 3.5 times more reliable than wind (36.1%) and solar (24.8%) plants.
Nuclear power plants are designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week because they require less maintenance and can operate for longer stretches before refueling (typically every 1.5 or 2 years).
4. Nuclear helps power 28 U.S. states
There are currently 92 commercial reactors helping to power homes and businesses in 28 U.S. states. Illinois has 11 reactors—the most of any state—and joins South Carolina and New Hampshire in receiving more than 50% of its power
from nuclear.
Plant Vogtle Unit 3 in Waynesboro, GA will become the nation’s newest reactor when it enters into commercial service in the summer of 2023.
5. Nuclear fuel is extremely dense
Because of this, the amount of used nuclear fuel is not as big as you think.
All of the used nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. nuclear energy industry over the last 60 years could fit on a football field at a depth of less than 10 yards.
Energy.gov 5-fast-facts-about-nuclear-energy
Lenin, world’s first nuclear-powered surface ship, a large icebreaker built by the Soviet Union in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) in 1957. The Lenin was 134 metres (440 feet) long, displaced 16,000 tons, and cruised in normal waters at 18 knots (33 km/hr, or 21 mph).
The ship went into service in 1959, clearing ice for cargo vessels in the western portion of Russia’s Northern Sea Route, between the port of Murmansk and various stops along Siberia’s Arctic coast. Despite high initial costs, nuclear propulsion proved to be highly advantageous because it allowed virtually unlimited cruising range under extremely severe conditions. The Lenin became the first of several nuclear-powered icebreakers built by the Soviet Union and then Russia into the 21st century. The ship was retired in 1989, having covered more than 500,000 nautical miles (about 925,000 km, or 575,000 statute miles) in ice. In 2009, around the 50th anniversary of its entering service, it opened as a floating museum in Murmansk harbour.
The Lenin was originally powered by three nuclear reactors, two of which were normally used for operation and the third of which was kept in reserve. It suffered at least one and perhaps two serious accidents in the mid- to late 1960s, involving partial meltdown during refueling and possibly numerous fatalities. (Soviet authorities never released details.) The ship reentered service in 1970 after several years of reconstruction, during which time its three original reactors were replaced by two more efficient and safer models.
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