Expert: Osman Kemal Kadiroglu - 10/25/2006

Question
Hello!
I am in the 9th grade and doing a project on nuclear power. My question is simple, but may involve a complex answer. What is your opinion on the pros and cons of nuclear energy? Would you believe that it would be beneficial for American or the world to run a majority of their power on nuclear energy, or do you think its problems, such as nuclear waste and the storage of nuclear waste, would outweigh the benefits. Thank you very much!
-Sierra  

Answer
Hi Sierra,

I have been answering this question over and over so you will be the last kid I will do it.

Your question involves everything under the sun. I recommend that you check Wikipedia, Department of Energy web sites. Also Google will give you tons of knowledge. Meanwhile let me answer your question briefly.

For pros and cons please see the web sites and also the movie made by your old vice-president Al Gore. It is on sale today or tomorrow on Amazon. Yes there are much more pros to nuclear power than cons. If you want clean environment, energy security and cheap power nuclear is the solution.

As a foreigner, who lived in the States for sometime, I definitely say that nuclear power is beneficial for US. Also for the rest of the world including North Korea and Iran.

If you study the web pages on waste you will see that there is no problem about the waste but small technical and economical considerations that had to be answered before a nuclear waste depository is decided upon.

Please read the material I recommend and if you have specific questions please feel free to ask me. You can contact me from okkadiroglu@gmail.com or okk@alum.mit.edu

Regards