The researcher would like to express her deepest gratitude and appreciation to those who help

and support him in making his research study.

To his Environmental Engineering teacher Engr. Preciosa T. Ognilia, for teaching him the
concept and principles of the research process. And also for sharing her time, guidance, infinite
support and for being approachable.
To his little Brother and Sister Mr. Steven Earl L. Espinocilla and Ms. Stephanie L. Espinocilla
for their words of encouragement, guidance and financial support.
Above all, to our Almighty God for providing the researcher the wisdom enlightenment and
strength to finally come up with the study.

University Of Rizal System

Morong, Rizal

Risk Perceptions of a Nuclear Power Plant in An All-Encompassing

Risk Society

An Undergraduate research presented to the faculty members of

University of Rizal System

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Environmental

Engineering

Submitted By:
Stephen Son L. Espinocilla
Submitted To:
Engr. Preciosa T. Ognilla

Chapter I
The problem and its back ground
This chapter consist of introduction, Setting of the study, Statement of the problem,
Hypothesis, Significant of the study, Scope and limitations of the study, Objective of the
study and Definition of terms.

Introduction
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear
reactor. As is typical in all conventional thermal power stations the heat is used to generate steam
which drives a steam turbine connected to an electric generator which produces electricity.
Nuclear power plants use the heat generated from nuclear fission in a contained environment to
convert water to steam, which powers generators to produce electricity. Nuclear power plants
operate in most states in the country and produce about 20 percent of the nations power. Nearly
3 million Americans live within 10 miles of an operating nuclear power plant.
Nuclear energy can also be released in nuclear fusion, in which atoms are combined or
fused together to form a larger atom. This is the source of energy in the sun and stars. Nuclear
fusion is the subject of ongoing research as a source of energy for heat and electricity generation,
but it is not yet clear whether or not it will be a commercially viable technology because of the
difficulty of controlling a fusion reaction.

Setting of the study

This study was been conducted in the Philippines.

Statement of the problem

This study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. Why nuclear power plant is dangerous for humans.
2. Advantages of having nuclear power plant.

Hypothesis
1. It maybe a threat to human health.
2. More families may have electricity.

Significance of the study

The study is significant to the following where in the topic is also concern with:

Family
-

Is concerned because of the workers that maintained the power plant.

Environment
-

Is concern because power plant can cause mass destruction if it was mishandled and it
may effect the environment due to its radiation.

Human health

It may cause human to have illnesses like Congestive heart failure, and loss of IQ
from air and water pollution and nervous system damage etc

Scope and limitation

This research was focused on effects of Nuclear Power Plant.

Definition of terms
The following terms are hereby defined for conceptually understanding of the study:

Power plant
-

An installation where electrical power is generated for distribution.

Radiation
-

is energy that comes from a source and travels through some material or through
space. Light, heat and sound are types of radiation. The kind of radiation discussed in
this presentation is called ionizing radiation because it can produce charged particles
(ions) in matter.

Nuclear fission
-

Is the main process generating nuclear energy. Radioactive decay of both fission
products and transuranic elements formed in a reactor yield heat even after fission has
ceased.

Nuclear reactor

Known as an atomic pile, is a device used to initiate and control a

sustained nuclear chain reaction. Nuclear reactors are used at nuclear power plants for
electricity generation and in propulsion of ships.

Objective of the study

The objective of this research is to give us knowledge in nuclear power plants so that we
can understand the process how it produce electricity so that we know if it is dangerous or safe
and to know how useful if it is.

Chapter II

Review of related Literature and Study

Positive effects of nuclear power plants
Clean Air
Nuclear power plants play a major role in overall compliance with the Clean Air Act of 1970,
which set standards to improve the nation's air quality. Because they generate heat from fission
rather than burning fuel, they produce no greenhouse gases or emissions associated with acid
rain or urban smog. Using more nuclear energy gives states additional flexibility in complying
with clean-air requirements.

No Criteria Pollutants
The Clean Air Act of 1970 established limits on the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx ), a
precursor of ground-level ozone and smog; sulfur dioxide, which produces acid rain; particulate
matter, such as smoke and dust; and mercury. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
developed extensive regulations to reduce nitrogen oxides through creation of the Ozone
Transport Commission and the NOx Budget Programboth initiatives created under the Clean
Air Act amendments of 1990 to help reduce ground-level ozone in the Northeast and MidAtlantic states. Nuclear power plants do not produce these criteria pollutants.

No Greenhouse Gases
Nuclear power plants produce nearly two-thirds of all electricity that doesn't emit greenhouse
gases in the process of generating power for American homes and businesses. Carbon dioxide
the principal greenhouse gasis a major focus of policy discussions to reduce emissions.
Nuclear power plants, which do not emit carbon dioxide, account for the majority of voluntary
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the electric power sector, according to a 2007 report
from Power Partners (pdf), a partnership between the electric power industry and the U.S.
Department of Energy.

Water Use & Holistic Environmental Management

Electricity generation and the production of usable water are interdependent. Water withdrawn
from and returned to rivers and lakes is used to cool the equipment at thermoelectric power
plants of many types when they are generating electricity. In turn, a substantial amount of
electricity is required for pumping and purifying water for use at homes, hospitals, business, and
industry.
Water use is one of several interrelated environmental considerations that need to be analyzed
together when considering electricity generation and cooling systems. These include water
quantity and quality, aquatic life, wildlife, plant life, land use (habitat), and air quality and
emissions. Broader considerations include sustainable development, climate change mitigation
and adaptation, and electricity supply and reliability.
For instance, because nuclear energy does not emit green- house gases during operations, it can
mitigate climate change and, in turn, the water constraints that climate change causes in various
regions of the country. Also, nuclear energy requires a fraction of the land necessary to produce
the same amount of electricity when compared to such renewables as wind and solar energy, thus
preserving habitat.
Sustainable development is also an important consideration, as both water supply and reliable,
affordable electricity are essential for economic progress. Nuclear energy has the lowest
operating cost for electricity generation among conventional energy sources, such as natural gas
and coal, and is competitive with other clean energy sources.

Power Sector Uses Just Three Percent of Water

Water use consists of two distinct processes: withdrawal and consumption. According to the U.S.
Geological Survey, thermoelectric power generation is among the smallest consumptive uses of
freshwater by any economic sector, at 3.3 percent of total U.S. consumptionabout one-half of
residential consumption, at 6.7 percent. Thermoelectric power plants withdraw more water than
any other economic sector, but they return 98 percent of the water they withdraw back to its
natural sources. Thermoelectric power plantsfueled by nuclear energy, natural gas, oil, or coal
generate 90 percent of the electricity in the United States.

To put residential and thermoelectric power water consumption in perspective, a typical U.S.
nuclear power plant supplies 740,000 homes with all of the electricity they use while consuming
13 gallons of water per day per household in a once-through cooling system, or 23 gallons of
water per day per household in a wet cooling tower system. By comparison, the average U.S.
household of three people consumes about 94 gallons of water per day for indoor and outdoor
residential uses.
A once-through cooling system returns 99 percent of the water withdrawn back to the water
body, at a somewhat higher temperature, as allowed by the plants water permit. Wet cooling
towers withdraw less water than a once-through system, and discharge water at a temperature
only slightly above, or at, that of the water body. But cooling towers consume 70 percent of the
water they withdraw. In effect, cooling towers consume twice as much water as a once-through
system. However, though cooling towers consume more water than once-through systems,
cooling towers can consume as little as one to two percent of the annual flow of the rivers where
they are located.
Once-through cooling systems may require plant operators to reduce electricity production to a
small degree to observe the discharge water temperature limit during very hot days, while
cooling towers do not have to reduce power for this reason. Most proposed new nuclear plants
will employ cooling towers, where discharge water temperature will not be a consideration in
electricity production.

Responsible Environmental Stewardship

Nuclear plants strive to be responsible stewards of the environment. When they are built, cooling
system intake structures are designed to minimize aquatic life mortality, which is usually only
one to two percent of the fish population in the water body. As a result, scientific studies
demonstrate that these cooling systems do not have any negative impact on the abundance of fish
in the water body over time.
State environmental agencies confer with power plant operators to determine the best technology
to install at the cooling water intake structure to reduce the impact on aquatic life before an
environmental protection license is granted. These deliberations take into account the unique fish
populations and ecology at that specific site.

Discharge water temperature limits are also established using scientific research, and compliance
is ensured through data taken periodically at the water body. In order to obtain permission to
discharge water at a temperature higher than the statewide limit, the plant operator must present
to the state environmental agency scientific evidence that the higher temperature will have no
adverse impact on aquatic populations or wildlife at the site.

Negative effects of nuclear power plant

Radioactive Waste: The waste produced by nuclear reactors needs to be disposed off at a safe
place since they are extremely hazardous and can leak radiations if not stored properly. Such
kind of waste emits radiations from tens to hundreds of years. The storage of radioactive waste
has been major bottleneck for the expansion of nuclear programs. The nuclear wastes contain
radio isotopes with long half-lives. This means that the radio isotopes stay in the atmosphere in
some form or the other. These reactive radicals make the sand or the water contaminated. It is
known as mixed waste. The mixed wastes cause hazardous chemical reactions and leads to
dangerous complications. The radioactive wastes are usually buried under sand and are known as
verification. But these wastes can be used to make nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Accidents: While so many new technologies have been put in place to make sure that
such disasters wont happen again like the ones Chernobyl or more recently Fukushima but the
risk associated with them are relatively high. Even small radiation leaks can cause devastating
effects. Some of the symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fatigue. People who work
at nuclear power plants and live near those areas are at high risk of facing nuclear radiations, if it
happens.
Nuclear Radiation: There are power reactors called breeders. They produce plutonium. It is an
element which is not found in the nature however it is a fissionable element. It is a by-product of
the chain reaction and is very harmful if introduced in the nature. It is primarily used to produce
nuclear weapons. Most likely, it is named as dirty bomb.
High Cost: Another practical disadvantage of using nuclear energy is that it needs a lot of
investment to set up a nuclear power station. It is not always possible by the developing
countries to afford such a costly source of alternative energy. Nuclear power plants normally take

5-10 years to construct as there are several legal formalities to be completed and mostly it is
opposed by the people who live nearby.
National Risk: Nuclear energy has given us the power to produce more weapons than to produce
things that can make the world a better place to live in. We have to become more careful and
responsible while using nuclear energy to avoid any sort of major accidents. They are hot targets
for militants and terrorist organizations. Security is a major concern here. A little lax in security
can prove to be lethal and brutal for humans and even for this planet.
Impact on Aquatic Life: Eutrophication is another result of radioactive wastes. There are many
seminars and conferences being held every year to look for a specific solution. But there is no
outcome as of now. Reports say that radioactive wastes take almost 10,000 years to get back to
the original form.
Major Impact on Human Life: We all remember the disaster caused during the Second World
War after the nuclear bombs were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even after five
decades of the mishap, children are born with defects. This is primarily because of the nuclear
effect. Do we have any remedy for this? The answer is still no.
Fuel Availability: Unlike fossil fuels which are available to most of the countries, uranium is
very scarce resource and exists in only few of the countries. Permissions of several international
authorities are required before someone can even thought of building a nuclear power plant.
Non Renewable: Nuclear energy uses uranium which is a scarce resource and is not found in
many countries. Most of the countries rely on other countries for the constant supply of this fuel.
It is mined and transported like any other metal. Supply will be available as long as it is there.
Once all extracted, nuclear plants will not be of any use. Due to its hazardous effects and limited
supply, it cannot be termed as renewable.
Various nuclear energy programs are undergoing in developed as well as developing nations like
India. Not to mention, nuclear energy advantages are far ahead of advantages of fossil fuels. That
is the reason that it has become most favored technology to produce energy.

Chapter III
Summary, Recommendation, Conclusion
Summary
Nuclear power is an efficient and volatile method of creating electricity using controlled
nuclear fission, or, less commonly, nuclear fusion. Most nuclear power plants create energy by
submerging uranium molecules in water and then inducing fission in the molecules. This process
heats the water, which is transformed into pressurized steam that turns a turbine powering a
generator, creating energy. Some nuclear plants use plutonium or thorium instead of uranium,
while others fuse hydrogen atoms to create helium atoms, a process that also causes heat and,
subsequently, energy. However, uranium fission is overwhelmingly the most popular form of
creating nuclear power because the element is more common than plutonium or thorium.
Because of the serious ramifications of a radiation leak or a plant meltdown, many people
are opposed to nuclear power. The process of creating a nuclear reaction is very precise. If the
process creates too much heat, a nuclear power plant can essentially become a nuclear bomb.
Even with proper nuclear power plant safety, the ability to create suitable storage and
containment facilities for the significant radioactive waste created by nuclear power plants,
which remains toxic for centuries, has remained elusive. Many critics also fear that in the wrong
hands, nuclear materials could be used for weapons instead of for electricity.

Recommendation
I recommend this thesis to the people that is not aware how useful and dangerous nuclear
power plants.

Conclusion
I therefore conclude that nuclear power plants are useful in terms of giving electricity as
long as it was maintained so that it will not cause calamity, destruction and health issues to the
people that near to the site.