FAQs
QIs nuclear energy 'green'?
AThe issue of whether nuclear plants actually present a net positive environmental gain compared to fossil fuels depends on the values that are placed on the wastes that each type of plant produces. Nuclear power provides an environmental benefit by almost entirely eliminating airborne wastes and particulates generated during power generation. Nuclear power creates a cost in the form of relatively small volumes of radioactive wastes that are produced that must be managed prior to ultimate disposal. Fossil fuels also produce unwanted solid wastes, although the problems associated with these wastes differ from spent nuclear fuel. Neither waste stream is desirable. On a pound-per-pound basis, the potential environment costs of waste produced by a nuclear plant is usually viewed as higher than the environmental cost of most wastes from fossil fuel plants. The volume of waste from the nuclear plant is substantially less and better controlled. Any claim of environmental gain from nuclear power compared to fossil fuels asserts that the nuclear waste stream in aggregate is the lesser of two evils and that the electricity produced is worthwhile.
Ref.: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/nuclearenvissues.html
QWhat is the benefit of nuclear power?
AAccording to preliminary data, the U.S. commercial nuclear industry supplied more electricity in 2007 than in any prior year. This was made possible, in part, by a capacity factor (the amount of power actually generated compared with maximum possible generation) of 91.8 percent, eclipsing the 2002 record of 90.3 percent. Generation in 2007 was 2.4 percent higher than in 2006, and 2.3 percent higher than in the record year of 2004. Of the 31 states with commercial nuclear capacity, 17 experienced increases in output. The largest increase at the state level was in Tennessee, where output was 4 million megawatt hours greater than in 2006, an increase of 16.3 percent.
Ref.: http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/nuc_generation/gensum.html
QHow many nuclear plants are producing power in the U.S.?
AThere are currently 104 licensed-to-operate nuclear power plants in the United States (69 pressurized-water reactors and 35 boiling-water reactors), which generate about 20 percent of our nation's electrical use.
QHow many new nuclear plants are planned worldwide?
ANuclear power capacity worldwide is increasing steadily but not dramatically, with about 30 reactors under construction in 12 countries. Today, there are some 439 nuclear power reactors operating in 30 countries plus Taiwan. In 2006, these provided about 16 percent of the world's electricity. About 34 power reactors are currently being constructed in 11 countries, notably China, South Korea, Japan and Russia. Most reactors on order or planned are in the Asian region, although plans are firming for new units in Europe, the U.S. and Russia.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has significantly increased its projection of world nuclear generating capacity. It now anticipates at least 60 new plants in the next 15 years, 16 percent more than actually operating in 2006. The change is based on specific plans and actions in a number of countries, including China, India, Russia, Finland and France, coupled with the changed outlook due to the Kyoto Protocol. This would give nuclear power a 17 percent share in electricity production in 2020.
QWho decides to build a nuclear plant?
AThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates the construction and operation of new commercial nuclear power facilities in the U.S. The NRC is responsible for issuing standard design certifications, early site permits, construction permits, operating licenses, and combined licenses for commercial nuclear power facilities.
Ref.: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactor-licensing.html
QHow is energy produced in a nuclear plant?
ANuclear power plants rely on the process of nuclear fission. In this process, the nucleus of a heavy element, such as uranium, splits when bombarded by a free neutron in a nuclear reactor. The fission process for uranium atoms yields two smaller atoms, one to three free neutrons, plus an amount of energy. Because more free neutrons are released from a uranium fission event than are required to initiate the event, the reaction can become self-sustaining — a chain reaction — under controlled conditions, thus releasing a tremendous amount of energy.
In the vast majority of the world's nuclear power plants, heat energy generated by burning uranium fuel is collected in ordinary water and is carried away from the reactor's core either as steam in boiling-water reactors or as superheated water in pressurized-water reactors. In a pressurized-water reactor, the superheated water in the primary cooling loop is used to transfer heat energy to a secondary loop for the creation of steam. In either a boiling-water or pressurized-water installation, steam under high pressure is the medium used to transfer the nuclear reactor's heat energy to a turbine that mechanically turns a dynamo-electric machine, or electric generator. Boiling-water and pressurized-water reactors are called light water reactors, because they utilize ordinary water to transfer the heat energy from reactor to turbine in the electricity generation process. In the high temperature-gas cooled reactor design, the heat energy is transferred by helium.