Pieczynski 1
Mr. Torres
4A English IV
6 March 2010
I.
“Today 31 nations representing 2/3 of humanity have nuclear power” (Ritch, John).
a. Humans need a new source of power to deal with the rising need throughout the
world.
b. Most sources of power out there are causing more problems that are needed.
c. The world is changing as a result of what we are using for power when better ways
can be used to generate the power.
d. The United States would benefit greatly by using more nuclear power.
II.
Cheaper power than other sources of power.
a. Fewer materials are needed to generate nuclear power.
i. This results in less money having to be spent on materials to make power, which
saves money.
b. It also costs less to generate the power.
i. Nuclear power costs “…generating costs that average 1.83 cents per kilowatthour.
ii. Others cost more. “The cost of generating a kilowatt-hour of coal is higher at
2.07 cents. Oil comes in at a distant third at 3.18 cents per kwh, while using
natural gas to generate electricity costs 3.52 cents per kwh” (Walker, Mary L).
iii. Nuclear power being the cheapest by a pretty good amount already shows how
promising it is.
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c. The low cost of nuclear power will save companies more money, resulting in them being
able to spend the money on different things which could help the economy.
III.
It is much better for the environment.
a. Does not disturb wildlife in any way.
i. “…construction of dams and lakes often does damage to natural as well as
human habitats” (Walker, Mary L).
b. It reduces the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
i. “By substituting for fossil fuels, U.S. nuclear plants reduced total U.S.
greenhouse gas emissions by 168 million metric tons of carbon equilivent in
1999” (Nuclear Energy Institute).
ii. “Without nuclear energy, U.S. electric utility emissions of carbon equilivents
would have been approximately 30 percent higher” (Nuclear Energy Institute).
c. The areas around nuclear power plants even help the wild life in the area.
i. “Because the area around a nuclear power plant is so clean, the areas around
cooling ponds are often developed as environmentally rich wetlands, providing
nesting areas for waterfowl and other birds, new habitats for fish…” (Nuclear
Power Institute).
ii. The power plants help protect and maintain an area for wildlife to live and be
safe.
d. Nuclear power does not let out any harmful particles into the air like generating power
through other ways does.
IV.
It is reliable, plentiful, and safe.
a. There are abundant resources for nuclear power.
i. “Its fuel will be available for multiple centuries…” (Ritch ,John).
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b. There are very strict standards for nuclear power, and very carefully controlled.
c. Radiation levels at every plant are monitored 24 hours a day.
d. They monitor how much radiation gets into the environment around them also.
i. “Even soil, cows’ milk from neighboring farms, and fish and sediment in nearby
rivers and lakes are monitored periodically” (Nuclear Energy Institute).
e. People living around the nuclear plants do not even receive that much more radiation
than people that do not.
i. “Even people living in closest to a nuclear power plant receive an average of
only one extra day’s worth of radiation-about one millirem-each year. In
comparison, the average American is exposed to 360 millirem annually…”
(Nuclear Energy Institute).
f.
People are afraid that people may die as a result of using nuclear power.
i. These believes are unfounded, and people need to realize it is not very
dangerous at all.
ii. “France, Belgium, Switzerland, and other countries that generate a higher
percentage of their electrical output via nuclear power than does the United
States have been able to do so without loss of life…” (McGregor, Douglas S).
g. It can run when other ways cannot.
i. “Nuclear plants can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are not affected
by drought or frigid weather like hydroelectric and other conventional sources”
(Hill, Patrice).
V.
The future of nuclear power.
a. The nuclear power industry was on a standstill, until President Obama made an
announcement of financial and philosophical support for nuclear power.
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b. The same people who own the Vogtle plant in Burke County are in charge of building
two more power plants.
i. “The first of the two units is scheduled to come online in 2016, the second in
2017, at a total cost estimated at $14 billion” (Markiewicz, David).
c. The building of nuclear power plants and usage of them will create more jobs in the
future.
i. “Ratcliffe said the Vogtle expansion would mean 3,500 jobs at peak
construction, and 800 permanent positions” (Markiewicz, David).
d. More countries are starting to build nuclear power for themselves too.
i. “Important nations representing an additional half-billion people—including
Indonesia and Vietnam—are planning to use it for the first time…” (Ritch, John).
ii. Nations that are representing half the world’s population are building nuclear
plants.
1. “…with 30 reactors under construction and 34 more definitely planned”
(Ritch, John).
e. The nuclear power industry is expected to grow in future years.
i.
VI.
“…plans 50% growth over the next 20 years” (Ritch, John).
The economic case.
a. The United States has had to spend more and more money on gas from foreign
countries because of the rising cost of fossil fuels.
i. The United States has to send money to politically unstable parts of the world
like the Middle East.
ii. If we use more nuclear power, the United States could greatly reduce its
dependence on expensive and potentially unreliable fossil fuels.
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b. The United States could save money by using nuclear power since we have enough
material here to use it.
i. “…the United States has abundant supplies of uranium from which to make
nuclear reactor fuel” (Henderson, Harry).
VII.
The arguments against nuclear power.
a. People argue that it costs more money to run a nuclear plant than others because you
have to pay for emergency, containment, radioactive and storage systems.
i. That may be slightly true, but the generating of the fuel costs less so they can
use the money they save to pay for those things.
b. Another argument is that there is no place to put all the waste.
i. First, the waste does not take up much space.
1. “Waste is more compact than any other source” (“Comparisons of
Various Energy Sources” ).
ii. Also there is going to be a permanent storage site of nuclear waste at Yucca
Mountain in Nevada.
c. Other people say that nuclear power is turning our river radioactive.
i. No way for water to become overly radiated.
1. “This water has never come in contact with radioactive materials”
(Nuclear Power Institute).
ii. Also under law, they have to make sure the water leaving their plant cannot
harm the environment.
d. People fear that the radiation will harm everyone.
i.
Nuclear power actually gives les radiation off onto people than other ways we
generate power.
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1. “We would receive .03 millirem annually by living within a 50-mile
radius of a coal fired power plant, but only .009 millirem by living within
a 50-mile radius of a nuclear power plant!” (McGregor, Douglas S).
ii. Also we are given tons less radiation from nuclear power plants than we do
from space, and from the Earth.
e. People are making claims against nuclear power even if they have no evidence to back
up their claims.
VIII.
Nuclear power would benefit the world greatly. It would solve so many problems that we
have with the ways we generate most of our power today. Just about all of the arguments
made against nuclear power are false. The U.S. could save money instead of sending it
overseas. It is clean for the environment and for everyone. Nuclear power creates the new
source of power that the United States needs to keep the environment safe to lower
pollution, and will help the United States in so many ways.
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McGregor, Douglas S. “The Use of Nuclear Power Should Be Increased.” Opposing Viewpoints: Global
Resources. Ed. Helen Cothran. San Diego Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Research Center.
Gale. Minooka Community High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
“Nations’ Dependency on Nuclear Power (sidebar).” Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues &
Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 31 Mar. 2000. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Nuclear Energy Institute. “Nuclear Power Is Efficient and Safe for the Environment.” At Issue: What Energy
Sources Should Be Pursued?. Ed. Stuart A. Kallen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Minooka Community High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Hill, Patrice. “Nuclear Power Is the Energy of the Future.” Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Helen
Cothran. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. Gale. Minooka
Community High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Walker, Mary L. “Nuclear Energy Is Affordable.” Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Helen Cothran. San
Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. Gale. Minooka Community High
School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Ritch, John. “Nuclear Power Is the Energy Of the Future.” Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Barbara
Passero. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Research Center. Gale. Minooka
Community High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
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Markiewicz, David. “Nuclear plant in line for benefits: Obama plans a boost to Vogtle operation. Company will
share $8.3 billion in government loans.” The Atlanta Journal- Constitution. 21 Feb. 2010. US National
Newspapers, ProQuest. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
Henderson, Harry. “Nuclear Power: Outlook.” Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2010.
Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
“Comparisons of Various Energy Sources.” Nuclear tourist. April 12, 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
Busby, Chris. “Nuclear Power Is Dangerouss.” Opposing Viewpoints: Energy Alternatives. Ed. Helen Cothran.
San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Minooka Community
High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.
Ovins, Armory B, and L. Hunter Lovins. “Nuclear Power Is Inefficient and Dangerous.” At Issie: What Energy
Sources Should Be Pursued?. Ed. Stuart A. Kallen. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Minooka Community High School. Web. 19 Feb. 2010.