Nuclear power is often touted as a magic bullet solution for decarbonizing societies quickly and to a large extent. This is essential to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
FREMONT, CA: Energy sector professionals know that rapid and large-scale decarbonization is critical for society to avoid the worst impacts of the impending climate crisis. Politicians and industry groups regularly choose it over investment in renewable energy systems, bolstering this preference with false claims about its safety, efficiency, stability, and rollout speed.
The repercussions of a fast-changing climate are accelerating around the globe. As a result, energy sector professionals must look honestly at some of the falsehoods pushed by the nuclear business and its supporters. Below are some reasons why nuclear power is not the path to a zero-carbon future that is green and peaceful.
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NUCLEAR ENERGY PROVIDES INSIGNIFICANT BENEFITS
To combat global warming, we must eliminate fossil fuels from the global energy mix well before 2050.
According to projections from two nuclear lobbying organizations, tripling the global capacity of nuclear power by 2050 will only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4 percent. To do this, however, the world would need to add 37 additional big nuclear reactors to the grid each year from now until 2050.
Few to ten new grid connections occurred annually throughout the past decade. There are 57 nuclear reactors now under construction or planned over the next fifteen years. It is technically impossible to increase 37 reactors, as there is insufficient capacity to produce huge forgings, such as reactor vessels. Contrary to the fast rise of clean, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, doubling nuclear capacity is unachievable. And this is for only 4 percent while we must already reduce by 100 percent.
NUCLEAR POWER FACILITIES ARE HAZARDOUS AND PRECARIOUS
Nuclear manufacturers and plants are easy targets for malicious activities, including terrorist threats, the possibility of unintentional or purposeful airplane crashes, cyberattacks, and acts of war. The plant enclosures and certain ancillary structures storing radioactive materials were not designed to survive this type of attack or shock.
Nuclear power plants pose distinct dangers regarding the possible repercussions of a catastrophic disaster. Fukushima Daiichi demonstrated that nuclear reactors and their accompanying high-level spent fuel storage facilities are vulnerable to natural disasters and armed warfare.
A significant war is being waged in a country with several nuclear reactors and thousands of tons of highly hazardous spent fuel for the first time in history. The battle in southern Ukraine surrounding Zaporizhzhia places them at greater risk for a catastrophic tragedy.
Nuclear power plants are among the most complex and sensitive industrial installations, necessitating a highly complex collection of resources in a constant state of readiness to ensure their operation. This cannot be assured during a battle.
Nuclear energy is a thirsty technology. Cooling nuclear power facilities requires a substantial amount of water. They are susceptible to water stress, river warming, and rising temperatures, which can compromise power plants and equipment cooling. This cannot be assured in times of climate crises and harsh weather. Nuclear reactors in the US and France are frequently shut down or significantly slowed during heat waves.