Name: Andrew A.
Current Event Posting #4
Topic: Technology
Title of Article: "Nuclear's once bright and shiny future blinks out"
Author: William Bradley
Publication Name: New West Notes
Date of Publication: May 12, 2012
Length of Article: 1,500 words


Once nuclear energy appeared to be the future of energy, it was cheap, clean, and best of all, safe. It could fuel entire countries and eliminate their dependence on foreign energy. However after the Chernobyl disaster people became wary of nuclear energy, but still were willing to use it. Now though with the recent meltdown in Japan, nuclear energy has become taboo. Politicians who preach its virtues are accused of not having their constituents interests at heart.There are multiple issues with nuclear energy, the first is the most obvious where a meltdown is catastrophic and can kill everyone within the immediate area. However other problems soon become present, the cost to build a plant is enormous and requires subsidies to be viable. Even worse after a plant has been built, there are high rates of cancers among the workers which can lead to increased medical costs. In addition the power plants are vulnerable to outside cyber attacks which can lead the plant to a meltdown. These problems in general have led to the complete lack of new plants being built, and certain plants being closed down indefinitely. The only place where this is not currently happening is Iran. However many believe that the construction of power plants in Iran are solely a cover for the nuclear weapons which may be being manufactured. The production of nuclear energy accross the globe has slowed to a crawl, and it no longer holds the promise of the future.