Nuclear Energy Safe?

Nuclear Energy Safe?
Are we any safer with nuclear energy today then we were on March 28, 1979? That is a
big question to ask. Nuclear energy is a source of energy that has zero emissions to harm our
planet. There are over 100 nuclear plants in the United States and no place to permanently store
the waste. Is nuclear energy worth it or are we looking at another Three Mile Island in our future?
Nuclear energy took a big hit back in 1979. Three Mile Island and later Chernobyl
caused many people to look down on nuclear energy. People did not want to nuclear energy to
use or to live near. Since Three Mile Island, nuclear energy has continued to grow and become a
alternative to using up all our fossil fuels. Nuclear energy has become a lot safer and with over
3,000 shipments that total over 1.7 millions on our roads and highways since 1960, it has proven
to be safe, (Staedter, 2010). Yet we must not think in terms of absolutes. These same plants that
have a great safety record are also expanding the cooling ponds due to the increasing number of
spent nuclear rods. With very little options to dispense of the nuclear waste, nuclear power
plants are having to expand their ponds. With the ponds becoming increasingly over crowed, the
chances of two spent nuclear rods coming into contact with each other increases. The Thinkquest
website explains that two spent rods coming too close together can cause a nuclear chain
reaction. We now have a possibility of repeating Three Mile Island a hundred times over. For
this reason we must and should be worried. Over-crowding ponds are not the only concern.
Leaking or “unauthorized release of radiation” is another concern. These “leaks” can happen and
have happened like Vermont Yankee. As plants get older, corrosion starts to set in and
possibilities like the ones in Vermont come to light. More regulations need to be established and
outside monitoring agencies need to routinely check each and every plant still in...