Nuclear Power Plants

By: Efrain LomeliArthur MolinaDaniel Perez

What are nuclear power plants?• They’re thermal power stations• They function on a nuclear reactor• They use heat in order to power the station so the reactors can

function • Heat is produced by fission in the reactor• The steam is used to turn huge steam turbines which drives

machines called alternators that produce electricity.• Then the electricity is sent to power sources

Dangers of nuclear power plants

• Scientific studies have shown that people that live closer to power plants have a higher risk of getting cancer

• High amounts of carbon dioxide are let into the air• If there was a nuclear disaster radioactive chemicals

would spread out through the area

Disasters caused by nuclear power plants• 1979 a power plant at Three Mile Island malfunctioned • Cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the # 2 reactor• Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April

1986 in Ukraine• March 16 2011 the Fukushima Daiichi power plant’s reactor blew up• This was a series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns, and releases

of radioactive activity.

Aftermath of disasters• Chernobyl is inhabitable at least another 20,000 years• Cause a lot of birth defects and habitat destruction• 2 years after the 3 mile island incident, deaths of infants and

children sky rocketed• The site is permanently shut down• The Fukushima disaster crippled a big chunk of the country• Inhabitable for at least 20 more years

Why some people think nuclear plants are “good”.

• Produce energy faster and cheaper.• Cost a lot to make but are cheap to keep

running.• Small amounts of nuclear waste can be

disposed into the ground.• Most nuclear power plants run on bio fuels• These are good for the environment.

Why we don’t think these reasons are “good”.

• Not all plants run on bio fuels, some run on fossil fuels• Power plants run on uranium• Uranium is radioactive and very active• High amounts of carbon are spread throughout the process of

making energy

How do nuclear power plants affect the environment?

• They release big amounts of carbon dioxide.• Too much carbon dioxide can interrupt natural

chemical changes and cause global warming• The power plants release low level radiation• The waste disposed from the power plants is very

dangerous

Nuclear waste and Radiation Sicknesses

• Nuclear waste isn’t always disposed properly• It can either be buried in the ground or it’s disposed in water

drains which goes into the ocean and water sources which can cause Radiation sickness

• Radiation sickness is when body is exposed to radiation• It’s characterized by nausea, vomiting, headaches, cramps,

diarrhea, loss of hair, decrease in white blood cells. It can also cause deformites

Ways you can help!

• You can help by logging on onto http://stopnuclearpoweruk.net/

• Or you can log onto http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/nuclear/