3. ∂
Background
• First plant opened in UK in1956 at Windscale
• 16 reactors at 9 plants
• Produces 20% of UK energy down from 26% in 1997
• All existing UK plants to close by 2023
• Permission for 8 new private plants in England
• Scottish government ban on new nuclear plants
• Future UK energy production highly controversial – e.g. wind power in
UK
5. ∂
Safety
AGAINST NP
1. Old technology
2. Poor safety systems
3. Poor safety record – Windscale, Chernobyl, Three Mile Island,
Fukushima.
4. Negative public perception
5. Long term safety of nuclear waste disposal
6. Possibility of nuclear catatasrophe
6. ∂
Safety
FOR NP
•Less accidents and casualties than oil and gas
•New plants safer than old
•Issue of poor siting of plants NOT poor plant design
e.g. Fukushima
•Public perception of safety does not match reality
7. ∂
Reliability
AGAINST NP
•Closure of 4 UK reactors and 3 Belgian reactors – 22 of
same type of reactor worldwide
•Closures in EU and USA due to drought
•Criticism of unreliable alternative energy wrong – Delaware
study = renewable can power a grid 99.9% of the time
8. ∂
Reliability
FOR NP
•Alternatives unreliable – wind, wave, solar dependent on weather
•Nuclear available 24/7
•Nuclear can be adapted to demand – alternatives not
•Not subject to global instability
•Proven reliability in past
•UK expertise in nuclear technology
9. ∂
Cost
Against NP
• Plant construction, insurance, waste disposal,
decommissioning expensive – needs government money – UK
waste £56 bn for last 50yrs
For NP
• Production costs cheap
• Predictable costs – not subject to global uncertainty
10. ∂
Environmental Impact
Against NP
•waste radioactive for thousands of years – disposal problems
•Nuclear power needs fossil fuel for mining uranium, shipping and
disposal
•Only 4% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025
11. ∂
Environmental Impact
For NP
• Less land use than alternatives such as solar and
wind power – one nuclear reactor produces
equivalent of 15-180 square miles wind turbines
• Less CO2, nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide – helps fight
against climate change
12. ∂
Security
Against NP
• Link between civil and military use
• Possibility of terrorist attack or hijack of nuclear fuel
or waste
• Expansion of nuclear programme = less global
security as more countries with technology
13. ∂
Alternatives
Against
Wind and solar – intermittent, excessive land use, unsightly, lack of
control
Water – expensive, inefficient, unreliable
Biomass fuel – excessive CO2 emissions
Shale gas – expensive, environmental impact –fracking
Fossil fuels – CO2 emissions, environmental damage, cost
14. ∂
Alternatives
For
• Safety
• Security
• Not as dependent on high technology as nuclear
• No waste storage problems
• Increased employment (coal)
• Increased flexibility – coal, gas, oil, biomass fuels used for and hot
water not just electricity generation
15. ∂
The Future
Controversial subject linked to
1.Environmental impact
2.Economic considerations
3.Global and national security
4.Public safety
5.Reliable and efficient production
BUT Dwindling energy sources + increasing
industrialization in developing world = rapid solutions
needed
