Joey Liptak

Professor Malcolm Campbell

English 1103
23 February 2016
Topic Proposal: Should We Nuke Nuclear Energy?

Introduction/Overview
I will be exploring the risks and benefits of nuclear power for humans and the
environment, as well as inquiring whether or not this form of energy can remain safe around the
world. Nuclear power is an alternative form of generating electricity for certain areas, similar to
wind or solar power. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation defines it as splitting or fission
of radioactive atoms in order to produce energy. According to a report by the World Nuclear
Association (WNA), nuclear power comprises approximately 12-15% of the worlds electricity.
The report also discusses how countries such as France use nuclear energy to generate over half
of their electricity, thus emphasizing the importance of nuclear power in certain regions. Nuclear
use is also currently increasing in almost all major countries in the world. This form of energy is
one of the more controversial types, mainly due to the potential of nuclear disaster, which can
have extremely profound effects on the people involved and the environment, and the threat of
countries around the world utilizing their nuclear programs to develop nuclear weapons.
Examining alternative power sources is necessary for ensuring a proper quality of life for the
generations to come, thus emphasizing the importance of determining if nuclear energy is a
sustainable and effective way to produce electricity.

The most common way to generate electricity in a nuclear power plant is to produce and
control the release of energy from splitting uranium isotopes in order to boil water, which
generates steam and turns a combine, thus creating usable electricity. In order to produce
electricity using this method, however, certain parameters must be met, such as maintaining
stable pressure and temperatures throughout the reactors and generators (Nuclear Power: An
Overview). Failure to maintain these parameters can lead to catastrophe in the form of radiation
leak or even a full meltdown. Despite the potential dangers and risks of nuclear energy definitely
being noticeable, there have been an extremely low number of cases where harnessing the energy
has gone wrong. The World Nuclear Association gives data showing only 10 global deaths per
TW-yr (terawatt years), a unit of electricity, due to nuclear energy, while coal driven energy has
almost 400 deaths and hydro energy has nearly 900. The statistics regarding nuclear energy
deaths suggest that using this process is much safer than others, but disasters such as the
Chernobyl Incident, during which a full nuclear meltdown occurred, and the accident at Three
Mile Island, where a similar incident almost took place here in the United States, prove that
attempting to harness electricity by nuclear means can still be dangerous, and even deadly to
both the people involved and the environment.
Nuclear energy has been around for decades, but countries around the world are now
utilizing it more often in an attempt to move away from environmentally damaging methods and
towards more sustainable methods. More nuclear power use creates the need for new
technologies, which is where the controversy begins. The risks of nuclear energy are the main
cause for concern when deciding whether or not this is a safe method of producing energy
around the world. Nuclear power plants must be strictly maintained, and safety standards are set
by organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for countries around

the world and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for plants specifically in the US. If the
safety standards set by these organizations are not met, or new technologies are being tested for
the first time, there is a very likely chance of disaster. The Chernobyl incident, for example, was
the result of the testing of a new failsafe mechanism on the reactors, which ironically failed
itself, and led to an entire nuclear meltdown which released large amounts of radioactive material
into the environment throughout Europe and Asia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has
claimed that prolonged exposure to radioactive materials in the environment in contaminated
areas such as this is connected to cancer outbreaks and birth deficiencies. There is evidence to
show that the nuclear disasters in history have had negative effects on the people involved, yet
some argue that the number of incidents is simply too small to focus on. Those who support
nuclear energy also emphasize its harmlessness to the environment, as long as disaster is
avoided. An article from The Guardian says that a majority of the top US climate scientists
support the development of safe nuclear power due to its very small carbon footprint; these main
supporters also claim that since there have been a miniscule amount of reported episodes of
failure, nuclear power is an extremely safe form of energy.
In order to begin research for this topic, I began by first using the Atkins library databases
to search for background information on nuclear energy and its use around the world. I also used
websites for the WNA, IAEA, and NRC in order to learn more about the safety regulations and
standards set for nuclear plants around the world. My uncle works as an engineer for Calvert
Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland, so I also called him and asked him about how electrical
energy is produced in plants. I also searched for articles relating to nuclear incidents such as
Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, where I learned more about how unstable nuclear power can
be if not maintained properly. Lastly, I searched for current events articles in order to connect the

issue of nuclear power to todays world, but I did not find more than a couple significant articles;
further research is necessary.

Initial Inquiry Question

Is nuclear power a safe alternative form of generating electricity around the world? Are
the effects of nuclear radiation on humans too dangerous to support the growth of nuclear
energy? Should more safety standards be implemented when using new nuclear technologies?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in exploring nuclear energy mainly because it relates to everyone who
wants to preserve the environment by exploring alternative energy sources. My family back
home in Raleigh has taken to actively attempting to use more alternative energy sources, such as
installing solar panels in our backyard to power some of our appliances. I certainly believe in the
use of alternative energy. I already know how nuclear energy is produced and the dangers it
presents, as seen in nuclear disasters. I also know the world is in dire need of less harmful
sources of energy, in order to protect future generations and the environment. As a strong
supporter of alternative energy around the world, I want to know whether or not nuclear energy
is a viable replacement to the other forms of energy production, such as using coal. Lastly, I want
to know how effective nuclear energy can be with regards to cost and energy output.

Next Steps
I will continue looking through the library databases, such as Points of View, and other
library resources to discover more about the long-term effects of nuclear energy. I will search for
more articles in science magazines such as National Geographic or other publications like The
New York Times and The Guardian to learn more about how nuclear power is used around the
world today. I will also follow up with my uncle and give him another phone call in order to
attempt to learn more about the process of harnessing nuclear power, as well as delving into
more websites for organizations, such as the American Nuclear Society to become aware of the
health/environmental risks of nuclear energy and whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks.
Lastly, I will look into the sites of the oppositional organizations such as Greenpeace and Beyond
Nuclear to explore all of the viewpoints on the issue.