Nuclear power plants are among the safest, most affordable and environmentally friendly options for powering billions of homes around the world. So why do so many negative myths surround the industry?
Let's take a look at some of the most common misconceptions about nuclear power.
Myth: If a nuclear reactor is critical, it's out of control.
Fact: In popular culture, nuclear power is often fictionalized to create suspense, like when reactors go “critical” in movies and books. In the nuclear context, critical simply means that the reactor is in a configuration that will let it operate at a steady power level.
When a uranium atom is hit by a neutron it splits apart; a process known as fission. The atom splits into two smaller atoms and also emits a few neutrons. To keep reactor power steady, one of those neutrons needs to cause another fission. When the reactor is in a configuration where one neutron from each atom fissioned causes another fission, the reactor is said to be critical. For a reactor operator, criticality is desired and is certainly nothing to fear.
Myth: Nuclear energy is dirty.
Fact: Nuclear energy is one of the cleanest sources of energy in the United States. The fissioning of uranium atoms, how nuclear energy is created, does not produce greenhouse gases. In 2012, the Energy Information Administration reported that greenhouse gas emissions in the power sector were 15 percent below 2005 levels, due in part to carbon-free electricity produced by nuclear energy. There are no smoke stacks at nuclear plants. The white plume often seen rising from nuclear plants with cooling towers is clean water vapor.
Myth: Nuclear plants emit dangerous amounts of radiation.
Fact: Radiation occurs naturally in our environment. You can be exposed to non-harmful radiation levels by drinking a glass of orange juice, taking a plane ride or having a medical procedure like a chest X-ray. Even the bricks and construction materials in buildings have low levels of radiation. A person who stands just outside of a nuclear plant for one full year will be exposed to less than one millirem, the standard unit for radiation measurement, of additional radiation. That’s less than one single procedure chest x-ray, which is about 4 millirem. The average annual radiation dose per person in the U.S. is 620 millirem
Myth: Nuclear energy isn’t safe.
Fact: Nuclear power plants are among the safest, most secure facilities in the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, it is safer to work at a nuclear plant than at a fast food restaurant, grocery store or in real estate. The nuclear industry is heavily regulated and safety is the cornerstone of all operations at nuclear plants. Multiple layers of safety systems and structures protect workers and surrounding communities. No radiation-related health effects have been linked to nuclear plants during the nearly 60 years of operation in the United States.
Myth: Nuclear power plants can explode.
Fact: It is physically impossible for a U.S. commercial reactor to explode like a nuclear weapon. The fuel used does not have enough uranium to be explosive and reactors are designed with layers of safety systems and automatic shutdown capabilities. It is not possible for a person to intentionally or unintentionally modify a commercial nuclear reactor to cause an explosion.
So next time you are watching a movie and hear that the reactor is critical, you'll know that means the nuclear plant is running and the lights are on.
March 03, 2015
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