ABSTRACT
There are a number of weaknesses associated with civil nuclear power, but three dominate the views of those opposed to it: potential releases of radioactivity into the environment, long-term management of waste and economic cost. This chapter addresses all the weaknesses of this technology.
The nuclear industry produces nuclear wastes that require careful management. The waste volumes are small, but the lifetime of some components is extremely long. The absence of a long-term waste management facility in some jurisdictions is a major weakness. The potential for another accident is also a major concern following 3 major accidents over the past 40 years which, in the case of Chernobyl and Fukushima, released large amounts of radioactivity into the environment.
New nuclear build involves large, up-front capital expenditure; it can take many years before the plant begins generating electricity and delays in commissioning plants are common. The technology suffers from a lack of flexibility in terms of output and the electricity system needs capacity to be available in the event of a sudden nuclear plant shutdown. Security and proliferation are two further issues that concern the public, despite regulatory oversight for the former and international agreements for the latter.
