NUCLEAR POWER: Decimation or Development?

Lets think about an ethereal world; where the ozone hole is not increasing in size anymore, where you don’t have the ethical conundrum of using electricity with the cost of air pollution, where you don’t have to squander money on electricity, where you don’t see countries hitting the highest temperatures ever recorded, where you don’t see wild fires destroying whole areas and people not only dying to these fires but also from the heat of the temperature rise. Instead, let’s imagine a world free of all of these. A world where we are sustaining our environment rather than destroying it. This imaginary world can only be brought into reality when usage of fossil fuels is completely brought to a standstill. In a world where our dependency on electricity is proliferating each day, the carbon emission and air pollution is also multiplying equivalently. Today, fossil fuels are supplying 84 percent of the world energy, whereas renewable energy sources are only supplying a measly 16 percent of it. To explain further, nonrenewable energy comes from sources that will be depleted within our lifetime, examples include fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and petroleum. Whereas, renewable energy comes from sources which cannot run out for instance; sunlight, wind, water. What if I told you there is a trump card above all these energy sources, which is much more efficient and eco-friendly. “Nuclear power”; which was previously seen as a weapon and a mode of destruction by mankind has come out to be the exact opposite. Before beginning to judge nuclear power on the premise of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedy or a nuclear energy crisis like Chernobyl or Fukushima, let’s dive into it without any previous dubious assumptions because you might be surprised to learn that nuclear energy is actually considered one of the most environmentally friendly forms of energy production in the world. The applications of nuclear technology far exceed the provision of low-carbon energy. It fuels our most ambitious space exploration projects and helps stop the spread of diseases. It also helps doctors diagnose and cure patients. These manifold applications put nuclear technology at the center of the global movement toward sustainable development.

Bangladesh plans to build the Rooppur nuclear power plant, the most ambitious project ever attempted in the history of the nation’s development, in an effort to join the exclusive “nuclear club” of 31 other countries. Being a part of Least Developed Countries (LEDC), Bangladesh had already begun the construction of its first nuclear power plant back in November 2017 and a year later another unit of the power plant had also commenced construction. With growth in demand and grid capacity Bangladesh is aiming to reduce its dependence on natural gas. In an effort to combat climate change, Bangladesh has set an idealistic aim of reducing carbon emissions by 21.85% by 2030. Power facilities using fossil fuels are primarily responsible for these emissions. Being one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world, nuclear power is an essential answer to the climate emergency. In addition, by agreeing to transport spent fuel abroad to reduce hazards, Bangladesh has wisely tackled the issue of nuclear waste disposal. Now let’s come to a more pressing question. Being a LEDC, why should Bangladesh stump up such a huge amount of money on nuclear power when there are much cheaper alternatives. This is because nuclear power is the most reliable energy source and it is not even close. An average nuclear reactor can generate 1 GW of electricity. This does not imply that a 1 GW coal or renewable facility may be installed in its stead. Two coal plants or three to four renewable plants (each of 1 GW size) would be required to provide the same amount of power for the system. Although the initial cost of establishing a nuclear power station is high, the cost of producing electricity from them is comparatively low, and they have low running expenses. Additionally, nuclear energy is less susceptible to price fluctuations than conventional fossil fuel energy sources like coal and natural gas are. This makes it possible to anticipate the cost of nuclear energy long into the future. As technology develops, that price is expected to stay low or even decrease. Moreover, one of the most significant advantages of nuclear energy is its reliability as a source of power generation. Nuclear energy may be produced at any time of day, unlike solar and wind energy, which require the sun to be out or the wind to be blowing. This implies that there won’t be any pauses in the generation of electricity at a nuclear power plant because it can produce energy continuously.

Nuclear energy might be one of the most controversial energy sources we have. For some people, the potential risk associated with nuclear power is too great. For others, nuclear looks like the answer for a zero-carbon future. Strict safety regulations have been put in place for nuclear power facilities. Nevertheless, no matter how careful you are, accidents might still occur. We know from incidents like the Fukushima accident, Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania that a nuclear plant meltdown may have disastrous effects on the neighbourhood. It is important to keep in mind, however, that these types of accidents are rare. Plus, many studies show that the fossil fuel industry is substantially more deadly than the nuclear industry, even when you include catastrophes like Chernobyl.

As you can see, there are several justifications for and against nuclear energy. This carbon-free energy source has the potential to progress us toward a clean energy future with additional technological advancements. In the future, new plants could appear. Other sources of energy, such as geothermal, wind, and solar power, are really renewable and may help us move toward a more environmentally friendly future. By adding solar panels, you can now power your house with green energy. You can power your home with solar energy even when the sun isn’t shining if you combine solar panels with energy storage. Plus, installing solar panels can completely eliminate your utility bill!