A nuclear power station occupies much smaller space compared to other conventional power station of same capacity.

1. NUCLEAR ENERGY
What is it?
David J. Diamond
Energy Sciences & Technology Department
February 2009

2. THE SOURCE: FISSION
 Fission is the splitting of a nucleus into two or more separate
nuclei of comparable mass
 One neutron interacts with one “fissionable” nucleus
(Uranium for example)
 Results are:
• Fission Products – Two heavy nuclides
- One heavier than the other (Average ratio of ~ 2 : 3 )
• Neutrons – 2.43 on average emitted / fission
- Important that more neutrons are produced than are used to
cause one fission
• Gamma rays, beta particles
• Energy !!
E = mc2

3. NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
 Currently produces 20% of U.S. electricity
 104 operating units in the U.S.

4. U.S. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

5. NPPs AROUND THE WORLD

6. PERCENT OF ELECTRICITY FROM
NUCLEAR ENERGY
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7. TOP 10 NUCLEAR
GENERATING COUNTRIES
2007, Billion kWh
 Enter text
806.5
418.6
266.4
147.8 136.6 133.2
96.5 87.2
64.4 62.6
U.S. France Japan Russia Korea
Rep.
Germany Canada Ukraine Sweden China
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency, U.S. is from Energy Information Administration
Updated: 5/08

8. NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR
ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
 Currently produces 20% of U.S. electricity
 104 operating units in the U.S.
 19 UTILITIES ARE PROPOSING TO LICENSE 34
NEW UNITS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS
• 17 applications for 24 units already before the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission
• Some purchasing of components has begun but no
firm orders expected until licensing more advanced
 An energy source the public should understand

9. BOILING WATER REACTOR

10. PRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR

11. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

12. NPPs IN FINLAND

14. AREVA VIDEO CLIP

15. WATER SYSTEMS

17. CONTROL ROOM

18. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
 ARE THE PRODUCT OF:
• Nuclear Engineers
• Mechanical Engineers
• Electrical Engineers
• Civil Engineers
• Human Factors Experts
• Computer Engineers/Scientists
• Etc.

19. WASTE DISPOSAL
 A concern to many people
 Used (spent) nuclear fuel consists of
ceramic pellets encased in metal tubes
 Current solution: On-site storage at NPPs

20. DRY STORAGE IN CASKS ON SITE

21. WASTE STORAGE
 Long term solution financed by nuclear utilities
in cooperation with U.S. government
 Yucca Mountain: one site for high-level
radioactive waste makes it easy to monitor,
regulate, and secure
 DOE: Required to design, construct, operate
 EPA: Required to set standards to protect
public and environment
 NRC: Required to approve/license DOE
proposal

22. YUCCA MOUNTAIN SITE

25. TRANSPORTATION
 Over the last 40 years, 3,000 shipments of spent
nuclear fuel on 1.7 million miles of U.S. roads
 Each shipment carefully packaged and
monitored
• Casks are ~15 times thicker than a gasoline tank truck
shell and include 3 inches of stainless steel with thick
lead radiation shields
• Typically for every ton of spent fuel there are 3 tons of
protective packaging

26. THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER
IN THE U.S.
 51 NPPs have obtained extensions of their 40-year license
to enable operation to 60 years--41 more are pending
 Many plants have increased their power: 5900 MW of new
nuclear electricity has been added (equivalent to adding 6
new units)
 19 UTILITIES ARE PROPOSING TO LICENSE 34 NEW
UNITS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS
• 17 applications for 24 units already before the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission
• Some purchasing of components has begun but no
firm orders expected until licensing more advanced

27. WHY NUCLEAR ENERGY SHOULD
BE AN OPTION -- MARCH 15TH
 Energy Security is National Security
• Uranium is a domestic source of energy
 Competitive Costs
 No Climate-change Releases
 Proven Record
 Concentrated Form of Energy