Nuclear power is more than just an occasional plot device on The Simpsons. It's a source of energy that lights up our televisions and heats our microwaves. As we explore ways to harness alternative forms of energy, however, the future of nuclear power grows increasingly uncertain. Is nuclear power our best energy alternative, or is it time to pursue other options?
Industry reforms put in place after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania have vastly improved worker training and the sharing of best practices and “lessons learned” throughout the industry. These add to the defense-in-depth design of nuclear plants that protected public health and safety – as numerous independent health studies have shown – even during the TMI accident. The technology is not risk-free – no one would or should claim otherwise – but margins of safety are extremely high, and federal oversight exists in the form of resident inspectors who are on-site at every nuclear power plant every day of the year. Used nuclear fuel, a solid byproduct of this highly efficient form of electricity production, is managed safely as well and has been transported safely in the United States for the past 40 years.
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