Nuclear Power Plant Advantages Disadvantages

The need for electrical energy increases day by day. Country's economical development directly depends on the electrical power developed in order to meet the domestic and industrial purpose. Depletion of coal reserves, high oil prices, increasing in the green house gases in the atmosphere has led mankind to harness energy from atoms. There comes the era of nuclear which can be used both for destruction and for the welfare of the mankind depends on how it is used:

Some of the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power plants are:

Advantages:

• The amount of fuel required for the nuclear plant is quite small compared to thermal power plant. Hence it is economical compared to the cost of transportation of coal, storage and ash handling. Some of the nuclear and thermal plants differences are discussed earlier
• Nuclear plants does not emit green house gases like thermal and gas plants and are environmental friendly
• Nuclear power plants requires less area as compared any other conventional power plants of same MW power output.
• The operation cost of the Nuclear power plant is quite low compared to thermal power plant. Therefore the cost per unit generated in nuclear plant is cheaper compared to thermal power plant
• These plants are more economical for larger capacity (above 100MWe)
• These plants always operate at base load plants and plant load factor is higher

Disadvantages:

• Release of radiation in to the atmosphere in case of any accident is the primary concern which can make the water, atmosphere and land radioactive
• Nuclear plants and not suitable to vary the load depends on the requirement because any large variations will affect the reactor life. In nuclear plants turbine follows reactor.
• It requires a large area for exclusive zone (no man land)
• It should be close to sea or large water body for cooling purpose
• Even though the reactor is in shutdown condition decay heat is produced in the reactor because of daughter fission products released. The decay heat of the reactor constitutes approximately 10% of the full power output. This heat should be removed continuously else there is possibility of core melting due to excess heat in the reactor
• State of art technology must be employed and operators should be highly skilled
• One of the major problems with the nuclear power plant is the disposal of spent fuel coming out of reactor as it is highly radioactive and have half life of some thousands of years