Expert: Osman Kemal Kadiroglu - 10/28/2002

Question
Can you give me some general pros and cons of Nuclear Power usage?

Answer
I can give you pros for nuclear power. It is the cheapest and most clean way of producing electicity. It is a green energy that is it does not polute the atmosphere. No greenhouse gases, no posionous elements like Cd, Pb, etc in ash. No release of radioactive materials in fly ash. No NOx od SO2 polution. Very relaibale does not depend on the solar cycle or rain fall.

Needs bit more capital than other electricity generating plants but the fuel cost is very low thus the levelized cost is the lowest. Takes at least 5 years to build a nuclear power plant and the power of such plants are 1300MWe.

The technology that takes care of the waste from the reactor is a known and proven technology.

Many people opppese nuclear power without knowing why or they are scared by anti nuclear lobby. The main problem of the nuclear power is the PR and educating the public with true scientific facts.