Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Nuclear Power

With the introduction of new, clean alternative ways of producing energy such as wind and solar, the government has spent its resources focusing on developing effective ways to collect the power made by these renewable resources. The government has been offering incentives to companies that develop and create power using the sun and wind, but nuclear energy regardless of its clean nature has been ignored. Incentives for nuclear power plants are not being created and as a result, nuclear power plants are losing profit margin. Companies are forced to make decisions to shut nuclear plants down. Nuclear power plants are vital to supplying baseload energy, the amount of energy needed to meet demands twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, within …show more content…
However, nuclear power is a clean energy, especially in competition with its competitors: oil, coal and natural gas. Unlike coal, oil and gas, nuclear power production does not release any air pollutants. Gas and oil produce large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) which has known detrimental effects on the environment. Large influxes of CO2 usher in the greenhouse effect, an issue the government is has studied for over 50 years and is still working to resolve. The use of nuclear energy is one way to solve the environmental problem. Due to the containment of the fission reaction, any harmful gasses that could be produced and released are not; they remain in the fuel assembly [Fe 11]. Any gasses that could be released in the event of a malfunction would not add to the greenhouse effect because the fuel being used does not produce greenhouse gasses [Fe 11]. Also, all radioactivity is also contained within the unit and does not escape to the environment. Radioactivity would only affect the environment in the rare meltdown situation. Nuclear power provides more than 64% of clean-air electricity and proves to be an effective, clean competitor to fossil fuels