Environmental Crisis due to Nuclear Power Plants

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of nuclear power plants in the area of the total energy produced by this. It tells us about the hazardousness at every stage of the complete process. It solves the  maze of corporate and governing bodies involved in the process starting from establishing the plant, arranging investments and modifying rules and regulations to ease in doing business.

Further it also explains the worldwide protests and resistance shown by the people against this inhuman act of establishing nuclear power plants in the name of development. The hazardous and destructive impact of previous nuclear power plant's accidents are also discussed in this paper.

Finally this paper argues and establishes a conversation to any human being with a courageous heart and witty mind to feel and think the need for alternative system and resources of unexplored sources of energy.

Introduction

Nuclear power plant works on the principle of nuclear fission. In which elements with very heavy atomic mass and property of radioactivity are used. Presently 92U235 are used as main source of energy (fuel) in the nuclear power plants. Apart from fuel; coolant, moderator, control rods and steam generator are other components.

Nuclear energy is a boon in a controlled manner but it can prove worst when we leave us controlled on it.

Working Principle

The basic working principle of a nuclear power plant is based on obtaining heat energy through the nuclear fission of radioactive atoms. This heat energy is further used to make the steam and which is used to rotate the turbine so as to get electrical energy with the help of a generator. Nuclear reactors made of uranium-235 are used as a fuel for this purpose. Uranium-235 is a highly radioactive element which has a potential of great disaster in any accidental situation.

The Negative Impact of the Nuclear Power Plant at Every Step

There are mainly following four steps in the whole working process of nuclear power plant:

A. Mining of Uranium

B. Fuel Enrichment

C. Power Generation

D. Waste Management

Now, let's discuss all of the above one by one.

A) Mining of Uranium

Uranium is the working fuel for all nuclear power plants, which is the most harmful substance on earth. It is obtained from the earth in the form of ore. Underground uranium mines have a high concentration of Radon gas. It produces as a result of Uranium decay and therefore as harmful as Uranium. It causes lung cancer and many fatal diseases on long exposure to this gas. Researches show that most of the mining workers and local peoples are affected by this gas.

Bad effect of mining can be understood by taking the example of Kazakhstan, the world's biggest uranium mining country. It contributes around 37% of total uranium extraction. Here diseases related to the nervous system, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular diseases are three times greater as of normal rate. Radon gas contaminated most of the water resources in the region of uranium ore.

B) Fuel Enrichment

There are many isotopes of uranium found in ore out of which only 0.7 % contain U235 which is used as fuel in nuclear reactors. This process mainly makes uranium available as fuel or raw material for nuclear weapons. These processes are very complex in nature. It is very costly in terms of the process and up keeping of processed uranium due to more concentration of radioactivity, now. Protection of people involved and waste produced between fuel enrichment process always need great care.

C) Power Generation

In this step enriched fuel is placed for controlled nuclear fission reaction with the help of a moderator, coolant and other parts of the power plant. Here a stream of water if superheated for the very fast movement of the turbine. Which arose the problem of cooling of water used before discharging it to water source otherwise it will end the marine life affected by this warm water.

Nuclear fission raises the overall temperature of the core of power plant, cooling of which is a necessity otherwise nuclear explosion will take place. Next problem with this is any repairing needed a very good nuclear scientist at the current time which is very tedious to arrange as well as expensive in nature. For example, if any problem occurred in Koodankulam power plant, we have to call scientist from countries like Japan, America, and others, which is a very expensive and time taking task. Here delay leads to an unexpected accident in the form of a nuclear explosion.

D. Waste management

An intrinsic feature of the nuclear power plant is that fuel can be only used for 7 or 8 years after that it is not suitable for power generation purpose. But the fuel continues to radiate and last in thousands of years. Hence there is a great problem of protection of the environment from its deadly radiation. And so far all the tools and techniques used are incompatible to reduce its effect. Therefore, it is a major problem not only for the present generation but also for the future generations.

Major past accidents in nuclear power plants

The history of nuclear power plants disaster is as long as its foundation. From 'Chernobyl' to 'Fukushima Daiichi' of Japan. Its history is stained with blood. 

Chernobyl event on 26 April 1986  is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history. The main reason for the accident was the failure of the cooling system which gradually caused overheating of the nuclear reactor core. Which resulted in the uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction and an explosion. Airborne radioactively contaminated spread all over  the region.

An estimate suggests that the deadly effect of this can be seen from its main centre Chernobyl to Italy and France including mainly Belarus and Ukraine with the rest of the republics. Around 220,000 people were relocated just because of this event. The vicinity of losses can be seen by the fact that only liquidators cost 18 billion Soviet Rubbles. Fatalities with newborn babies have seen after many years.

Fukushima Daiichi was another black spot on the nuclear power plant's journey, which was caused by the Tsunami. This Tsunami was a result of the earthquake on 11 march 2011. Three Mile Island and many more...

Nuclear power plants in India

Before Indo-US deal(till 2010)            

Narora, Uttar Pradesh
Rawatbhata, Rajasthan
Kakrapar, Gujarat
Tarapur, Maharashtra
Kaiga, Karnataka
Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu

After Indo-US deal (Projected or Working)

Kumhariya, Haryana
Mithi Virdi, Gujarat
Bargi, Madhya Pradesh
Haripur, West Bengal
Jaitapur, Maharashtra
Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh
Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu

Keeping all the above processes in mind and issues related at each and every step, the most important question arises is Why has India chosen Nuclear power plants as a source of electricity generation?

• A large amount of money in this which facilitate only to very big economic players.
• The problem of waste management of countries with the big nuclear power plant is solved. Those countries dumped their waste in India. They earn a huge amount of money also. 

Some other fact to include 

• Only 7 % of the energy produced by nuclear power plants which are even less than energy produced by windmills.
• They prefer nuclear energy saying it carbon-free, renewable sources of energy like the solar system and other.

We are saying this because we have an ample amount of these energy sources.

-- Presented by Naina