I have deeply thought about nuclear power plants because of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011. Before the accident, I thought that nuclear power plants are necessary for our sustainability because we need so much energy. A large release of radiation from nuclear power plants can lead to serious consequences to the extent that we cannot take proper measures. It is hard to investigate the tangible extent of damage. Besides, the danger of radiation exposure is found in nuclear waste after the nuclear fuels have been used and the burden of nuclear waste disposal and storage.Nuclear energy is a more economical energy source, but it has fatal side effects. We have to consider it carefully.

 

I am opposed to nuclear power plant life span extensions, but I agree with nuclear power plants themselves. Our country lacks energy and natural resources such as oil and fossil fuel. It is expensive to produce electric power from fossil fuels, and there are not any other cost-effective energy sources better than nuclear power. Nuclear power is one of the keys to reducing fossil fuel dependency. If we develop alternative energy sources like renewables instead of nuclear power, then I would be against nuclear power because it is highly dangerous, but there are no alternatives. If we place safety as our top priority and use nuclear power and produce energy carefully, nuclear power plants are the most efficient energy resource for the current situation in Korea.

 

 

 

Nuclear power is promoted regularly as a clean and cheap energy source, but in the case of Germany, the latest accident – Fukushima – lead to the political decision of shutting down all nuclear power plants until the year 2022. A decision I support as a citizen of Germany. However, it is not only the threat of accidents that makes me an opponent of nuclear power. It is the basic assumption, that nuclear power would be the cheapest alternative to fossil fuels, which is tremendously wrong. The point is, taking into account the costs of the storage and treatment of the used nuclear fuels, nuclear power is not cheap at all. What we can do in order to reduce our carbon emissions is focus on renewable energy.