Nuclear Energy
A nuclear power plant, as all others, uses fuel to produce steam that will generate electricity through a turbine. The difference lies in the fuel. In this type of plants, Uranium is usually used. When the nucleus of a Uranium atom is split, two or three neutrons are released and will collide with other atoms. More energy is released each time another atom splits, this phenomenon is called "chain reaction". This process occurs in the reactor, a cylindrical body enclosed by a reflector and a thermal shield. Its main parts are the fuel rods, made of uranium, the moderator, made of graphite which helps maintain the chain reaction, and the control rods which are made of boron-10 or cadmium. These control rods, when pushed inside the reactor, absorb most of the fission neutrons.
Advantages:
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Relatively low operation costs
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Stable production of electricity (base load)
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Low carbon dioxide emissions
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Mature technology
Disadvantages:
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High construction costs
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High risk if an accident happens
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Difficult management of radioactive waste
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Centralized power source
Hanul Nuclear Power Plant
Location: Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
Installed Capacity: 6 157 MW
Heysham nuclear power station
Location: Heysham, Lancashire, England
Installed Capacity: 2400 MW
Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant
Location: Enerhodar, Ukraine
Installed Capacity: 3882 MWe (5700 MWe before recent disconnection of 2 reactors)
PALO VERDE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION
Location: Tonopah, Arizona, USA
Installed Capacity: 3937 MW
RINGHALS NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
Location: Ringhals Kärnkraftverk, 432 85 Väröbacka, Sweden
Installed Capacity: Has a capacity of 3700 MW
BRUCE NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION
LOCATION: EASTERN SHORE LAKE HURON, ONTARIO, CANADA
CAPACITY: 6288 MW
KUDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
Location : Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
Installed Capacity : 2000 MW
Location: Döttingen, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland
Capacity: 730 MWe
Location: Prypiat, Ukraine
Capacity: 4000 MWe
Location: Okuma, Japan
Capacity: 4.7 GWe
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