Nuclear Power

• What type of power is generated by nuclear power plants?

  Nuclear power
• Why is nuclear power considered nonrenewable?

  Because it relies on finite resources like uranium and plutonium
• What are the advantages of generating electricity by nuclear power?

  • Does not release carbon dioxide
  • Does not contribute to climate change
  • Extremely reliable electricity generation
• How does nuclear power generation impact climate change?

  It does not release carbon dioxide, thus not contributing to climate change
• What is a key reliability feature of nuclear power?

  It generates a lot of electricity exactly when needed
• What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?

  • Contains highly dangerous radioactive materials
  • Risk of environmental release during accidents
  • Expensive and lengthy decommissioning process
  • Generates large amounts of radioactive waste
• What are the potential consequences of an accident at a nuclear power plant?

  Release of radioactive materials, evacuations, and long-term cleanup
• What happened at the Japanese nuclear power plant in 2011?

  A tsunami caused a release of radioactive material, leading to evacuations
• What is required at the end of a nuclear power plant's life?

  It must be decommissioned or dismantled
• Why is the storage of radioactive waste a concern?

  It must be stored for thousands of years before it is safe
• What are the long-term challenges associated with nuclear power?

  • Decommissioning takes many years and is expensive
  • Storage of radioactive waste for thousands of years