| Start a discussion group on nuclear power and it will | | | | population centers. |
| grow heated very quickly. No pun intended. | | | | In the case of Chernobyl, the meltdown produce |
| Objectively, there are a few definitive risks | | | | more than 300 times the radioactive fallout of the |
| associated with such plants. | | | | bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The fallout spread as far |
| Risks Associated With Nuclear Power Plants | | | | as Western Europe. The devastation led to the |
| A nuclear power plant is a unique bit of technology. | | | | evacuation of 300,000 people, and some estimates |
| The goal of the design and technology is twofold - | | | | attribute over 270,000 cases of cancer to the fallout. |
| to maintain control of a nuclear molecular reaction and | | | | Birth defects in the areas hit by radioactive fallout |
| to harness energy from it. Surprisingly, the design of | | | | are incredibly high. |
| most reactors is fairly simple, but much thought is | | | | Nuclear waste is another risk associated with plants. |
| given to safety issues. Despite these efforts, the | | | | The simple problem is there is no way to safely |
| nature of nuclear fission is such that it can be very | | | | dispose of it. This leads to tremendous arguments |
| dangerous. | | | | and litigation over locations where it can be stored. |
| There are a variety of risks associated with a nuclear | | | | The third area of risk associated with nuclear power |
| power plant. The biggest can be summarized as | | | | plants concerns intentional acts to damage them. |
| meltdown, nuclear waste and attractiveness as a | | | | Simply put, nuclear power plants are large, stationary |
| military or terror target. Each is a valid issue, so let's | | | | targets. Given the devastation caused by a |
| take a look at them. | | | | meltdown, as seen with Chernobyl, these plants |
| A meltdown at a nuclear power plant was historically | | | | make great targets for both military and terrorist |
| considered a possibility, but not a particularly likely | | | | attacks. Keep in mind that the population centers |
| event. Then Chernobyl suffered a meltdown in 1986 | | | | around Chernobyl were relatively small. In the United |
| and the property, health and scope of damage | | | | States, millions of people live close to most plants, |
| opened the eyes of many skeptics. The risks | | | | which means a meltdown would result in far more |
| associated with a meltdown are the introduction of | | | | damage on just about every level. |
| massive amounts of radiation to the surrounding | | | | The risks associated with nuclear power plants are |
| areas and atmosphere where it is carried for | | | | pretty scary. The situation with Chernobyl makes |
| hundreds or thousands of miles to slowly fall on | | | | that clear enough. |