How Does Nuclear Energy Affect the Environment?

Nuclear energy may fulfill the United States’ pressing need for a cleaner energy source. However, strong public opposition halts these plants from sprouting up across the nation. Both small scale environmental impacts and catastrophic meltdowns and explosions give people reason to oppose the switch to nuclear energy.

Nuclear power plants create energy by splitting uranium atoms in the fission process. This process creates steam that powers the energy-creating turbine. Though France runs almost completely on nuclear power, the United States still relies heavily on coal and natural gas for power.

Though non-renewable, nuclear energy is still considered a clean energy source. However, environmental impacts continue to reduce public support for these power plants. For example, the plants themselves do not emit emissions, but the mining process does. Additionally, massive water consumption is necessary to cool these plants since overheating could cause a meltdown or explosion. The water used for cooling is polluted with metals that affect the ecosystem of the body of water it is expelled into.

The waste produced by nuclear power plants must be carefully stored for many thousands of years before they are no longer radioactive. France recycles their nuclear waste to create more fuel for the power plants. The United States wishes to store the waste in Yucca Mountain instead. Nuclear accidents remain rare, but an increase in power plants could make accidents more commonplace. For now, nuclear power plants celebrate a better safety rating than other energy sources, like coal and natural gas plants.