Kea

Davis
U.S. Government
October 16, 2016

The Funding of Safe and Secure Nuclear Energy Act of 2016

When people hear the word nuclear most automatically think of the bomb. However,
there are many of uses for nuclear energy. One such use is energy. In fact 20% of the United
States power comes from nuclear power plants. If we add just 75 new power plants that will raise
the energy produced from 20% to 35%. The addition of more nuclear power plants will lower
carbon emissions produced from coal and gas burning power plants. Contrary to popular belief
Nuclear power plants are extremely safe and cannot under any circumstances blow up like a
nuke. In addition nuclear fuel used in these power plants cannot be used to make a nuclear
weapon. People have a fear of nuclear power when they should have a fear of Carbon destroying
our atmosphere. This is why i propose a bill to build 75 new power plants. Voting to pass this bill
will implement new safety features, increase the security, and build a more efficient way of
creating energy.
Scientists have created new technologies to make nuclear power a lot safer than it is now.
Scientist found way to naturally shutdown a reactor if they need to. The new generations of
rectors are called AP1000s, the first of a new generation then incorporates "passive" safety
features intended to avoid disasters like the one in Japan. In the event of an accident, the reactor
relies on natural forces such as gravity and condensation to help keep its nuclear fuel from
dangerously overheating.(Scientific) The new passive safety features cant malfunction being
that they are natural and now machines. The new passive features take into account human error.
The features are activated and controlled by fundamental physical principles. These reactors
provide protection by relying on the laws of nature, rather than on engineered systems that
require power to operate, equipment to function properly and operators to take correct actions in
stressful emergency situations.(Argonne) the passive safety features make it nearly impossible
for the reactor core to go critical and leak radiation. Implying passive safety features to the new
power plants will drastically decrease the chance of human error and risk of radiation leaks.
Implement these new technologies will not only increase safety it will also increase security.
Another major public concern is security. Nuclear power plants in the U.S. are some of
the most heavily guarded buildings on earth. Nuclear power plants have three layers of security

The outermost layer is known as owner-controlled area when there is nothing other than signs
and cameras. The next layer, the protected area is fenced and protected by sophisticated security
systems and armed security officers. The last layer is the vital area protected by thick steel doors
and security alarms(Fact Sheet). These three security layers make it almost virtually impossible
to break into the facility. There are also quick response teams trained and ready if there ever
happens to be an attack on a nuclear plant which is very unlikely. Even if an attacker were to get
past all the security measures they couldn't steal the uranium or blow the place up. It is a
common misconception that a nuclear power plant can be used as a weapon even though A
commercial-type power reactor simply cannot under any circumstances explode like a nuclear
bomb the fuel is not enriched beyond about 5%, and much higher enrichment is needed for
explosives (Safety). A nuclear power plant doesn't have the kind of technology to enrich
uranium to such a high level. If somehow the attacker managed to steal the uranium it is near
impossible that they have the understanding and technology to turn it into a weapon. More than
likely the most damage they would cause would be to themselves. Nuclear Power plants are
extremely secure to ensure that they have maximum efficiency.
Nuclear power is much more efficient than traditional power sources. Nuclear fuel
produces two times the amount of energy than an equal amount of coal creates. In 2015 one
hundred nuclear reactors produced 797,178 thousand Megawatts of energy, while 1,308 coal
fired generators produced 1,356,057 thousand megawatts(Electricity). It is quite clear that a
single nuclear reactor produces more than two times the amount of energy as a single coal fired
generator. Nuclear fuel rods last longer and produce more energy than coal or any other fuel
burning generator. In fact the uranium fuel last for about two years, when enough of the U-235
has been converted to fission products and the fission products have built up enough so that the
fuel rods must be removed and replaced by new ones(Mccarthy). Nuclear fuel only has to be
replaced every two years opposed to fuel burning generation which have to constantly be
resupplied with fuel to burn. Nuclear has some many more ups than it has downs, how can you
possibly think nuclear is not the answer?
People who are against nuclear energy are afraid of it, they fear another three mile island
or chernobyl as well as the disposal of the radioactive waste. These are two rather irrational
fears. The U.S. has never experienced a major radiation leakage from any nuclear reactor not
even Three Mile Island, unknown to anyone the reactor core had partially melted releasing
small amount of radiation. However, the radiation level were only equal to that of chest x-ray.
The EPA and the NRA conducted extensive research only the negative health effects of the
surround population and found nothing harmful (Backgrounder). The construction of The Three
Mile Island reactor did as it was supposed to and contain the radiation and kept the reactor from
exploding. The reactor managed to do all this before the NRC had implemented the heavy safety
regulations that are in play today. Radioactivity is a subject that scares people especially when it
need to be disposed of. Today the U.S. is trying to find a way to either reuse nuclear fuel or
permanently get rid of it. While scientists research for new ways to dispose of this fuel they

currently store the used uranium fuel. There are two very safe methods of storage the first
method is to store them in what you would call a radioactive pool where the fuel cools down and
loses some of its radioactivity.The method is to cool the fuel in a radiation pool and then store it
in a cast iron rod surrounded by 2 tons of concrete(Disposal). The spent nuclear fuel is typically
stored on sight or at a separate secure location where they let it naturally decay in the radiation
containing concrete cylinders.
Voting to pass this bill will implement new safety features, increase the security, and
build a more efficient way of creating energy. We have an extraordinary problem occurring with
the emission of carbon from fossil fuels polluting our air. Nuclear power is the solution to our
problems. That is why we need to increase the amount of nuclear power plants so that we can
drastically change our environment for the better. Passing this bill will not only save the earth but
will save mankind.

Work Cited
Books
Scientific American , Editors of. The Future of Energy: Earth, Wind and Fire. New York:
Scientific American, 2013. Print.
Web

"Argonne's Nuclear Science and Technology Legacy." Passively Safe Reactors Rely on Nature to
Keep Them Cool. Argonne National Laboratory, 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
http://www.ne.anl.gov/About/hn/logos-winter02-psr.shtml
"Backgrounder on the Three Mile Island Accident." United States Nuclear Regulatory
Commissions. N.p., Feb. 2013. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/3mile-isle.html
"ELECTRICITY DATA BROWSER." U.S. Energy Information Administration. N.p., n.d. Web.
19 Oct. 2016.
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/
"Fact Sheets." Nuclear Power Plant Security and Access Control. N.p., Sept. 2016. Web. 18 Oct.
2016.
http://www.nei.org/Master-Document-Folder/Backgrounders/Fact-Sheets/Nuclear-Power-PlantSecurity-and-Access-Control
McCarthy, John. "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY."
Nuclear Energy Is the Most Certain Future Source Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/nuclear-faq.html
"Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors." World Nuclear Association. N.p., May 2016. Web. 17 Oct.
2016.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/safety-ofnuclear-power-reactors.aspx
"The Disposal of High-level Radioactive Waste." Nuclear Energy Agency. N.p., 3 Jan. 1989.
Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
https://www.oecd-nea.org/brief/brief-03.html