Nuclear Power 3
Across the world, the demand for electricity is rising, requiring a method be found to satisfy it. Energy conservation techniques will not be sufficient to keep demand down. Another method, building new power plants, will soon need to be implemented. Some of these needed power plants will create pollution which can damage the environment; the only way to minimize the pollution is to choose the right power plant. Conventional power sources, such as coal, are known for the pollution they create. Newly available sources, like solar power, are currently not feasible to completely supply the new demand. Nuclear power seems like the only practical alternative; however, there is much argument over safety issues and the question of what to do about nuclear waste. Nuclear power is a highly controversial topic. It has its advantages and disadvantages, and unless a more viable alternative is discovered, it may never be resolved. The demand for power has been increasing for some time, evidenced by the fact that electricity sales increased 32% from 1982 to 1992 (Bayne 48). Demand continues to grow, and will increase an estimated 4 fold in 50 years according to the Electric Power Research Institute (Reynolds 6). These increases come from two so
urces: more uses for electricity and more users. In the residential area, electricity use increased 65% from 1973 to 1992. The increase comes from the use of new electric appliances, such as VCR's and microwaves, and an increase in electricity users of 41% over the same time period. In the commercial sector, electricity use increased 97%, almost doubled, over the 1973 to 1992 time period while users increased by 45%. Part of the great increase in commercial electricity use is in industry, where electric processes are replacing fossil-fueled processes. One instance of this is the steel mill. Old steel mills use a coal-powered blast furnace, and are now being replaced with electric steel mills. The advantages of using electricity over coal make electricity an attractive option. For example, electric steel mills produce 2 pounds less carbon dioxide per pound of steel manufactured compared to coal powered mills. The electric mills also use 70% less total energy than coal mills to perform the same task. Electric manufacturing processes, in general, are more energy efficient, produce less pollution, and are easier to control then their fossil-fuel counterparts. Also, electric manufacturing improves productivity and product quality (Bayne 48). These benefits ensure that the use of electric manufacturing will continue to grow, increasing industry's dependence on electricity. Because of the increased need for electricity, we have looked for more efficient and environmentally safe ways to produce power. Nuclear power seems like a good alternative. Nuclear power plants do not pollute. They produce no greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide, and no gasses that produce
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Approximate Word count = 1123
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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