Nuclear Power Plants As A Source Of Energy

Introduction
Utilizing nuclear reactions to generate electricity is known as "nuclear power."
Nuclear fission, nuclear decay, and nuclear fusion reactions can all provide nuclear
energy. Currently, nuclear power plants use the fission of uranium and plutonium to
generate the great majority of the world's electricity from nuclear sources. In
specialized applications like radioisotope thermoelectric generators found in some
space probes like Voyager 2, nuclear decay processes are employed. International
research continues to center on producing electricity via fusion technology.
The first nuclear power plant was built in the 1950s. The global installed nuclear
capacity grew to 100 GW in the late 1970s and then expanded rapidly during the
1980s, reaching 300 GW by 1990. The 1979 Three Mile Island accident in the United
States and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union resulted in increased
regulation and public opposition to nuclear plants.
 
Nuclear energy has the advantage of being a clean energy source.Nuclear is the
largest source of clean power in the United States. It generates nearly 800 billion
kilowatt-hours of electricity each year and produces more than half of the nation’s
emissions-free electricity. This avoids more than 470 million metric tons of carbon
each year, which is the equivalent of removing 100 million cars off the road.
Nuclear power generation causes one of the lowest levels of fatalities per unit of
energy generated compared to other energy sources. Coal, petroleum, natural gas,
and hydroelectricity have each caused more fatalities per unit of energy due to air
pollution and accidents. Nuclear power plants emit no greenhouse gases. One of the
dangers of nuclear power is the potential for accidents like the Fukushima nuclear
disaster in Japan in 2011.
 
A disadvantage is lack of public awareness. Commercial nuclear power is sometimes
viewed by the general public as a dangerous or unstable process. This perception is
often based on three global nuclear accidents, its false association with nuclear
weapons, and how it is portrayed on popular television shows and films.
 
Purpose
There are currently about 440 nuclear power reactors operating in 32 countries plus
Taiwan, with a combined capacity of about 400 GWe (gigawatts of electric energy).
More than 10% of the world's electricity, or 2657 TWh (terawatt-hour), was
produced by these in 2019. Approximately 440 power reactors produce about 10%
of the world's electricity today. With 29% of the total in 2018, nuclear power is the
second-largest source of low-carbon energy worldwide. The goal of this paper is to
determine the advantage and disadvantages of nuclear energy and determine if it as
good source of energy.
Description
The project will be incorporating new policy and business models, as well as
innovations in construction that may make deployment of cost-effective nuclear
power plants more affordable, could enable nuclear energy to help meet the
growing global demand for energy generation while decreasing emissions to address
climate change.
The electricity sector in particular is a prime candidate for deep decarbonization.
Global electricity consumption is on track to grow 45 percent by 2040, and the
team’s analysis shows that the exclusion of nuclear from low-carbon scenarios could
cause the average cost of electricity to escalate dramatically.
The report discusses recommendations for nuclear plant construction, current and
future reactor technologies, business models and policies, and reactor safety
regulation and licensing. The researchers find that changes in reactor construction
are needed to usher in an era of safer, more cost-effective reactors, including proven
construction management practices that can keep nuclear projects on time and on
budget.
These safety features could include core materials with high chemical and physical
stability and engineered safety systems that require limited or no emergency AC
power and minimal external intervention. Features like these can reduce the
probability of severe accidents occurring and mitigate offsite consequences in the
event of an incident. Such designs can also ease the licensing of new plants and
accelerate their global deployment.
The role of government will be critical if we are to take advantage of the economic
opportunity and low-carbon potential that nuclear has to offer and If this future is to
be realized, government officials must create new decarbonization policies that put
all low-carbon energy technologies (i.e. renewables, nuclear, fossil fuels with carbon
capture) on an equal footing, while also exploring options that spur private
investment in nuclear advancement.”
The study lays out detailed options for government support of nuclear. For example,
it is recommend that policymakers should avoid premature closures of existing
plants, which undermine efforts to reduce emissions and increase the cost of
achieving emission reduction targets. One way to avoid these closures is the
implementation of zero-emissions credits — payments made to electricity producers
where electricity is generated without greenhouse gas emissions.

Objectives
By concentrating on the following goals, this concept paper hopes to achieve its
overall goal of examining the benefits and drawbacks of nuclear energy.

1. To assess the benefits of nuclear power.

2. To comprehend nuclear energy more fully.
3. To evaluate nuclear energy's risks
Research Questions
1. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
2. What are the major risks of nuclear energy?
3. Is nuclear energy a good source of energy?

Methodology
The research starts off with making a google form. The researchers created survey
questioners for the data gathering of the respondents and this only used for
research purposes. After the researchers have gathered five (5) Senior High School
Students as their respondents they are given the questioner. Once the respondents
have completed answering the questioners that is provided, the researchers
collected the form and the gathered data will serve as primary data of research,
which then are analyzed by the researchers and made a conclusion. The instrument
used in the study is the survey questionnaire made in Google Form was distributed
through FB Messenger.

Data collection
The researchers decided to use Google Forms as the platform to conduct the
survey. After completing the survey questionnaire. It was Inserted into the Google
Form and the link of the form was distributed to GRADE 11 respondents. The
collection of data was done on November 25, 2022 and we finished the same day.

Support
Project needs and cost ( $9 billion per unit)
Design, architecture, engineering and licensing 5%
Project engineering, procurement and construction management 7%
Construction and installation works:
      Nuclear island 28%
      Conventional island 15%
      Balance of plant 18%
Site development and civil works 20%
Transportation 2%
Commissioning and first fuel loading 5%
Total 100%
Equipment
     Nuclear steam supply system 12%
     Electrical and generating equipment 12%
     Mechanical equipment 16%
     Instrumentation and control system (including software) 8%
Construction materials 12%
Labour onsite 25%
Project management services 10%
Other services 2%
First fuel load 3%
Total 100%

Front end fuel cycle costs of 1 kg of uranium as UO2 fuel

Amount required x
Process Cost Proportion of total
price*
8.9 kg U3O8 x
Uranium $842 51%
$94.6/kg
Conversion 7.5 kg U x $16 $120 7%
Enrichment 7.3 SWU x $55 $401 24%
Fuel fabrication per kg $300 18%
Total $1663

Timeline
Date Actual Group Accomplishments
Day 1 (11/21/2022) We brainstormed for the topic. We
chose a topic that was related to our
strand
Day 2 (11/22/2022) We started doing our concept paper. We
brainstormed for our introduction. We
were able to finish it on the same day.
Day 3 (11/23/2022) We started doing our purpose and
finished it on the same day
Day 4 (11/24/2022) We started doing the description,
objectives and research questions. We
finished it on the same day
Day 5 (11/25/2022) We moved to the methodology and data
collection. We finished it on the same
day
Day 6 (11/26/2022) We started doing the support and
contact information. We finished it on
the same day.We finalized our paper.
Contact Information

Mark Anthony A. Cabangon

Contact at: markanthonycabagon02@gmail.com