CHAPTER 13: NUCLEAR POWER
IN-CLASS VIDEOS:
(1) Nuclear Power – How it Works
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTnfXLws40Q&feature=related)
Author: Ontario Power Generation
Year: 2010
Total Runtime: 07:30
Overview:
This video is a walkthrough of nuclear power generation within a Canadian nuclear
power plant. There are walkthroughs within the plant and animations of nuclear power
production.
Segments:
[00:00-03:05] The narrator discusses and demonstrates the very small size of uranium needed to
produce a large amount of power. Then the video, through animation and video, shows
the setup of uranium within the reactor core and the splitting of the uranium atom through
fission. An animation then demonstrates the steam production process of the plant that
spins turbines creating electricity. The video mentions safety programs and the lack of
smog produced by nuclear power. The remainder of the video discusses hydro power and
is not relevant to this topic.
Teaching Note:
There is a surprising dearth of good videos discussing the basics of nuclear power
generation. This video does one of the best jobs of all available videos in quickly and clearly
walking through the entire nuclear productions process. It serves as a good introduction to the
topic. The scene where the narrator holds a pellet of uranium and discusses how much power that
one pellet could produce really seemed to impress the class and spark some discussion.
(2) Spent Fuel Storage In Pools at Nuclear Energy Plants
(link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_h4mCCzsbs&list=PLECE49E00A076C7E9&index=7
&feature=plpp_video)
Author: Nuclear Energy Institute
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 02:14
Overview:
This video walks through the spent pool storage of spent nuclear rods. The video details
what a spent fuel pool looks like, how it is constructed, and what type of water is used in the
pool. The video goes through the safety associated with spent fuel pools and the differences
between a spent fuel pool and a swimming pool. The video discusses the assembly of the rod
holding mechanisms at the bottom of the pool.
Segments:
The whole video.
Teaching Note:
In a transition to a conversation about storage and maintenance of nuclear waste, this is a
good place to start. The pool is the step before much of the more controversial means of nuclear
waste storage. This video is also pretty useful to better understand some of the lingo and issues
discussed in the Frontline documentary mentioned later.
(3) What to do with America’s Nuclear Waste
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXH2rBRVAuc)
Author: Energy Now News
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 08:59
Overview:
This video is an overview discussion initially of what nuclear waste is and later with
some of the means and proposals for dealing with nuclear waste. There is an introduction and
highlight of the political banter regarding the proposed-but-now-dead Yucca Mountain storage
facility. There is a good graphic breaking down various types of nuclear waste, some of which is
surprising, such as dental waste and clothing worn during the American nuclear missile tests.
There is a discussion of salt storage and the details behind it. Finally, there is an overview of dry
cask storage.
Segments:
The whole video (or as much as is needed or feasible).
Teaching Note:
This is a bit of a long video, and a group may cut and paste as needed, but it highlights
all the basics of nuclear waste and the current means of storage. The salt storage may be the most
interesting part, and, indeed, it may prove to be the solution to the storage problem with the
failure of Yucca Mountain. This may be a section that a group should steer conversation toward.
(4) Dry Cask Storage for Spent Fuel at Nuclear Energy Plants
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh6FeQWuhCs)
Author: Nuclear Energy Institute
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 02:10
Overview:
This video is a good technical discussion of dry cask storage. While discussed in the
video above, this video is more science-oriented, and provides a different perspective. It also
does a good job of discussing the temporary nature of dry cask storage and the need to find a
permanent solution.
Segments:
The whole video
Teaching Note:
This video (read: the narrator) is a bit dry, but the information is rich for such a short
clip. Considering that this is how so much of our nuclear waste is being stored, it may be a useful
video to show. The idea that nuclear waste is just sitting in dry casks all over the country sparked
interesting class discussion.
(5) Wasteland: The Nuclear Graveyard Under New Mexico
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgBUwhUAVE)
Author: The Verge
Year: 2012
Total Runtime: 12:46
Overview:
Starting with the Carter administration’s move to find permanent disposal of nuclear
waste, the video provides a detailed overview of the Yucca Mountain solution. There is a good
breakdown of the political and state sovereignty issues associated with the federal government’s
instruction to a state to store the nation’s nuclear waste. Much blame is placed on Sen. Reid.
Segments:
[01:16-04:21] This section is the most political/legal based of the entire video and
includes several sounds bites from politicians illustrating their posturing on the issue of nuclear
waste storage.
Teaching Note:
While Yucca may be a dead and gone issue after President Obama pulled the plug on the
plan, it is still a useful topic to discuss. It could potentially reemerge as an alternative one day. If
nothing else, it highlights the sensitive nature of storage and issues of state sovereignty. It may
spark some discussion about the concept of government waste.
(6) A Visit to the World’s Biggest Nuclear Reprocessing Plant
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR7Q14L2qhY)
Author: AFP
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 02:44
Overview:
This is a quick video discussing nuclear waste reprocessing at a European plant. The
facility handles nearly half of the world’s spent fuel, and reprocesses it to mostly reusable rods.
A portion of the video discusses the handling and storage of the small amount of radioactive
waste that cannot be reprocessed. This radioactive waste is placed in a storage container
guaranteed to house it for 300 years, but, as the video reminds, the waste may be radioactive for
thousands of years. The video closes with protesters near the plant.
Segments:
The whole video.
Teaching Note:
Reprocessing is a very interesting subject, and the issues associated with the storage of
the four percent of waste that cannot be reprocessed is very interesting. If the video was much
longer or if time was short, I might skip it, but if time allows, it makes for a good insight into one
alternative to dry cask storage, etc.
(7) Inside Japan’s Nuclear Meltdown
(link: http://video.pbs.org/video/2202847024)
Author: PBS
Year: 2012
Total Runtime: 54:40
Overview:
There are two Frontline documentaries on the Fukushima disaster, and this one is the
more detailed of the two. Through eye-witness interviews and dramatic camera work, it recounts
the day-by-day details of the disaster.
Segments:
[00:00-01:15] This is the intro to the video and provides a nice, quick overview of the subject
matter of the entire program.
[01:41-09:07] While a little lengthy, this segment takes the viewer through the earthquake,
tsunami, and immediate impact on the tsunami on the plant.
[14:08-23:40] The venting of nuclear radiation, the Prime Minister’s role in the accident, and
Japan’s history with nuclear war and power.
Teaching Note:
This is a great documentary, and, honestly, any portion of the video would be good for
class discussion. I only highlighted what I view as the essential parts of the documentary as it
relates to our class.
SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEOS:
(1) The Simpsons Nuclear Energy Film
(link: http://www.hulu.com/watch/29838)
Author: Fox, Matt Groening
Year: Unknown, looks to be fairly old.
Total Runtime: 01:38
Overview:
A humorous and irreverent short animation that actually does a pretty good job of
walking through the very basics of nuclear power production while also mentioning nuclear
waste.
Segments:
The whole video
Teaching Note:
This short video would be a great way to start the entire nuclear power discussion in a
light-hearted way. It would certainly merit some chuckles amongst the class, and it would grab
attention.
(2) The Race for Nuclear Fusion
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KMmlSDWFIc)
Author: AFP
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 02:14
Overview:
This video does a good, quick job discussing an important nuclear topic mostly left out of
the above in-class videos, nuclear fusion. It breaks down what nuclear fusion is, or would be if
created, and discusses one firm among many working to make fusion a viable reality.
Segments:
The whole video
Teaching Note:
A group that made a presentation on the basics of nuclear power would not be faulted for
never even mentioning fusion simply because it is not a reality and very well may never be a
reality. That said, it is a topic that most people in the class will likely have at least heard of. It
may warrant a very brief discussion simply because of the enormous potential fusion holds to
change the world’s energy supply. This video provides that brief discussion.
(3) Decommissioning a Nuclear Power Plant
(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paxDogM6MjU)
Author: AFP
Year: 2012
Total Runtime: 02:02
Overview:
While short, this video is packed with animations and facts. It walks through the threestep process used to decommission a nuclear power plant and discusses that time frames required
for an area to become completely free of any radioactivity. There’s a good discussion of the
amounts of material that will be radioactive, and the acknowledgement that it may take 40-100
years for a former site to become fully radioactivity free is eye opening.
Segments:
The whole video
Teaching Note:
In the post-Fukushima world, decommissioning may become a rapid reality. Many
countries in Europe, Germany in particular, appear to be ready to deactivate and decommission
nuclear power plants, and this video will do a good job of discussing what that may entail. Some
of the numbers are very interesting and should spark some class discussion. This may be a good
follow-up video to either Frontline video.
(4) Nuclear Aftershocks
(link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/nuclear-aftershocks/)
Author: PBS
Year: 2012
Total Runtime: 53:37
Overview:
This is an episode of the PBS series Frontline detailing the cause of the Fukushima
nuclear plant meltdown, the general details of the tragedy, and the eventual recovery efforts. The
video also does a great job of talking about the international reaction to the events in Japan and
the drive toward a nuclear-free world.
Segments:
[00:00-01:14] This is the intro to the video and provides a nice, quick overview of the subject
matter of the entire program.
[04:48-09:04] This segment details the earthquake that caused the tsunami that led to the
meltdown. This segment also introduces the viewer to the Fukushima nuclear power
plant. There are definitely some vivid images of the tsunami here.
[13:00-14:19] This is video footage of the plant after the tsunami taken from ground level. It
shows the level of destruction at the plant.
[19:42-22:29] This is a discussion of what nuclear experts assume actually happened within the
reactor after the tsunami. There is some good animation here. This is also video of the
explosion after the meltdown.
[43:36-50:03] The video closes with a look at Indian Point nuclear power plant in the United
States and the potential risks associated with that plant.
Teaching Note:
Reprocessing is a very interesting subject, and the issues associated with the storage of
the four percent of waste that cannot be reprocessed is very interesting. If the video was much
longer or if time was short, I might skip it, but if time allows, it makes for a good insight into one
alternative to dry cask storage, etc.
(5) Kirk Sorenson: Thorium, an Alternative Nuclear Fuel
(link:
http://www.ted.com/talks/kirk_sorensen_thorium_an_alternative_nuclear_fuel.html?utm_sou
rce=email&source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ios-share)
Author: Kirk Sorenson, TED
Year: 2011
Total Runtime: 10:03
Overview:
This is a TED talk discussing an alternative nuclear fuel, thorium. It is based on salt and
is apparently cleaner, safer, and more abundant than our current nuclear fuel sources.
Segments:
[03:07-10:03] This is the meat of the talk. Here, Sorenson first discusses our current nuclear
power sources and then transitions into a discussion of an alternate source, thorium.
Teaching Note:
If time allowed, this may be a very interesting video to show to discuss a potential
alternative future for nuclear power. The animations leave something to be desired, but the talk
holds its own.