Nuclear Power (also atomic power) is when the nucleus (core) of an atom is changed in some way, (usually fission or fusion or radioactivity) releasing strong amounts of energy and is a rather new concept to the world, becoming a major industry in the early 70's. It's got many advantages. Nuclear Power is very cheap to produce once you have all the needed 'tools' but they are extremely expensive to put up. The disadvantages are EXTREMELY dangerous too. If a nuclear power plant were to explode, the outcome would be disastrous! People and things would be killed quickly and the environment wouldn't be able to come back to full strength for a long time because of the radiation.

Nuclear plants have a lot of radiation because of the radioactivity going on in the reactors.

The Production of Nuclear Power

Step One:  Uranium is mined using either the "open cut" surface techniques or the underground mining techniques. Uranium, after being mined is sent to a mill to be cut down to a fine 'slurry'. Because the Uranium must be a gas before it can be enriched, it goes through a conversion into a gas.
Step Two: Most nuclear power reactors need enriched uranium fuel so it goes through an enrichment process in which it is separate into two separated 'streams'
Step Three: The enriched uranium is sent to a fabrication plant where it's changed into uranium dioxide and pressed into powder and small pellets.
Step Four: It's now sent to the reactors at the Nuclear Plant. The reactor burns the stuff and sends out a continuous supply of heat. There must be a moderator there such as water or graphite.
Step Five: Although nuclear fuel is recyclable, every year or so about one third of the fuel must be replaced with fresh fuel. This then brings up the problem of disposing of the nuclear waste.

The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power

The Pros:	The Cons:
1. Nuclear power doesn't actually burn anything.... It splits the atoms (usually uranium) and they produce heat by releasing gases.	1. Nuclear power is EXTREMELY dangerous! If used in any other way then recommended the out come could be disastrous!
2. Uranium doesn't release harmful gases, therefore is environmentally friendly when used correctly.	2. Nuclear waste is extremely hard to get rid of.
3. Nuclear fuels can be recycled and are much cheaper than fossil fuels.
3. There are large amounts of radiation in small areas, making it harder to control.

Facts About Nuclear Power in Canada

Canada is very rich in Uranium (a radioactive metallic substance from the chrome group of metals) and produces and exports 35% of the worlds supply.

There is a nuclear power plant in New Brunswick (NB Power in Point Lepreau) that helps to supply the power here in PEI, as well as one in Quebec (Hydro-Quebec) and one in Ontario (Ontario Power Generation).

Canada's Nuclear Power Plants supply about 14% of the energy and electricity in Canada.

All of Canada's Nuclear Power Plants are publicly owned.

LINKS

Click here to go to the World Nuclear Association's web site.

Click here to go see the essay of April Catchings on Nuclear Power!

SOURCES

 

"Introduction to Nuclear Energy." Available http://world-nuclear.org/education/nfc.htm February 11, 2002.

"Nuclear Energy." The Golden Encyclopedia Collection.1975.