Nuclear energy, or atomic power, is the energy found in the nucleus or core of an atom and released using nuclear fission or nuclear fusion to create power.Nuclear energy plays a vital role in our attempt to move away from fossil fuels and look at renewable energy sources. In 2019, about 4% of global primary energy came from nuclear power.A thermal power plant, called a nuclear power plant, is required to create nuclear energy. It conducts nuclear fission (where atoms are split into two) in a nuclear reactor, which heats water into steam that turns a turbine to produce electricity.Many nuclear reactors are currently operating around the world. As per a 2008 study on energy facts, about 14,500 nuclear power plants would be needed to power the entire world. While the number is debatable, as of 2020, there are 445 nuclear power plants, which contribute about 10% of the world’s electricity.Apart from carbon-free electricity generation, nuclear energy can also be used to power space exploration, a submerged vessel or submarine, sterilize medical equipment, provide useable water through desalination, supply radioisotopes for cancer treatment, kill cancer cells, and more.It helps fight climate change, protects the air we breathe, powers electric vehicles, and boosts development. Nuclear energy is also unaffected by fluctuations in coal, natural gas, or common fuel prices.History Of Nuclear DevelopmentNuclear energy is a non-renewable source of energy divided into two types: nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Nuclear fission is when an atom is split into two, whereas nuclear fusion is when atoms are combined into one.Of the two, nuclear fission is mainly used to produce electricity. The primary energy source for producing nuclear energy is uranium. The element forms naturally and is found in rocks. Uranium is a non-renewable resource that needs to be mined.The history of nuclear development started way back in 1789 when Martin Klaproth, a German chemist, discovered uranium.In the 1890s, discoveries were made related to X-rays, gamma rays, polonium, radium, and the concept of radioactivity and radiation. The early ’00s saw the discovery of the nucleus and neutron and the idea of nuclear fission.In 1939, two scientists, Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard, developed the concept of nuclear chain reaction.In 1942, Fermi successfully created the first artificial nuclear chain reaction, resulting in the Manhattan Project enriching uranium, producing plutonium, and designing and assembling a bomb.In 1945, the world’s first nuclear weapon test, the Trinity Shot, was conducted, following which more nuclear weapons were developed. Atomic bombs-Little Boy and Fat Man—were created and dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US, resulting in a mushroom cloud, more radiation, millions of deaths, and the end of the Second World War.The year 1951 saw an experimental liquid-metal cooled reactor, called EBR-I, attached to a generator in Idaho to produce the first nuclear-generated electricity. In 1954, the Soviet Union started the process of using nuclear reactions for commercial purposes. The first commercial nuclear power plant was the Obninsk Power Plant.Through the ’60s and ’70s, nuclear power and nuclear plants developed in several countries, which led to the rise of nuclear energy. Nuclear weapons like the Tsar Bomba also thrived. But the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 and the Chernobyl accident in 1986 led to debates and slowed down the growth and deployment of nuclear reactors worldwide.In the ’90s, more guidelines and safety measures for nuclear reactors were established. The EBR-II sodium-cooled reactors came up with advanced safety measures that shut down the reactors automatically in case of radiation leakage.The 2000s are witnessing an improvement in the nuclear energy sector due to increased demand for electricity worldwide, the importance of energy security, and the need to limit carbon dioxide emissions due to climate change.List And Details Of Nuclear Power PlantsNuclear energy is used in 50 countries around the world. While 445 nuclear plants are used for commercial purposes in 32 countries, around 220 reactors are dedicated to research pursuits.Countries like the USA, China, France, Russia, and South Korea produce relatively large amounts of nuclear power. Countries such as Canada, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, show a continuous improvement in their nuclear energy output.Additionally, about 50 power reactors are being constructed in 19 countries worldwide. Notably, countries like India, China, Japan, Taiwan, and the UAE are showing an increasing interest in developing more electricity to meet the growing demand.The Life Cycle Of Nuclear FuelNuclear energy is quickly becoming a popular energy source for electricity. The multiple stages associated with the process of electricity generation from nuclear materials are called the nuclear fuel life cycle. It starts with mining the uranium ore and ends with disposing of it in waste repositories.Uranium undergoes the processes of mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, deconversion, and fuel fabrication, after which it enters the nuclear reactor for power generation.Nuclear power plants or nuclear reactors are a series of machines that control the nuclear fuel produced in the reactor core by nuclear fission. The reactors use pellets of uranium that are forced open, resulting in fission products. These fission products help split the other uranium atoms, resulting in a chain reaction that creates energy and heat.The heat created warms the cooling agent, mostly water, liquid metal, or molten salt. As the cooling agent heats up, it leads to steam production, which helps turn turbines. The turbines drive generators, which help in electricity generation. The electricity generated is later supplied for different purposes.A breeder reactor, which is a nuclear reactor producing more fissionable material than it consumes, can last for more than 4 billion years.When producing nuclear power, uranium atoms are split into lighter elements. It is a radioactive material and hence generates radioactive waste. The remains after the split are carefully stored in spent fuel pools or waste repositories, which are located underground.Nuclear power plants shut down every 18-24 months to remove and process the spent uranium fuel, which eventually turns into radioactive waste. When the used fuel is reprocessed, the amount of nuclear waste reduces drastically.National And International Government InvolvementNuclear energy is steadily increasing in the world. Governments worldwide are keen on tapping this power source and availing of its many benefits.Apart from nuclear energy supporting fewer carbon emissions, there are social benefits as well. When building a new plant, about 7000 people are employed for the construction job, and once operations start, about 500-800 people are employed for the maintenance and operations of the plant.Research shows that for every 100 jobs at nuclear power plants, 66 more jobs are created in the local community, which benefits people immensely. Also, nuclear power plants are less hazardous than the coal industry.The lifetime of reactors is generally 40-60 years. So, countries with established reactors can just update their existing plants effectively and add new capacity. They can replace worn equipment, steam generators, reactor heads, outdated control systems, and underground pipes.While there are several benefits to using nuclear energy, some disadvantages are also associated with it. One such example is that nuclear power plants require a large area and use large amounts of water. The plants are mainly near a natural water body to expel heat, which is part of their condenser system.Setting up a nuclear plant also requires clearing forest areas, affecting the natural habitat of several species. It might lead to water depletion, affecting the aquatic life and the livelihoods of people living nearby, just like how the BP oil spill did.Despite these points, governments worldwide are ambitious about nuclear energy and are taking steps, keeping in mind the importance of homeland security and the natural radiation that might occur.
Nuclear energy, or atomic power, is the energy found in the nucleus or core of an atom and released using nuclear fission or nuclear fusion to create power.
