A STUDY ON NUCLEAR ENERGY: SUSTAINABLE

SOLUTION FOR ENSURING ENERGY SECURITY OR

EMERGING FUTURE THREAT

Dewan Mowdudur Rahman1, Riasad Amin1, Navid Bin Sakhawat2,

Md. Zubaer Chowdhury1
ijcrr 1
Department of EECE, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka,
Vol 04 issue 03
Bangladesh
Category: Research 2
Department of EEE, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Received on:08/12/11
Revised on:14/12/11
Accepted on:19/12/11 E-mail of Corresponding Author: mowdudur@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Sustainability is characterized by the environmental friendly process best fitted for eco-systems
and the capacity to maintain a process smoothly indefinitely. Maintaining sustainability in
every aspect is the key for continuing human race in the long run. Recent energy insecurity
problem and global climate change has led the concerned to take a fresh look at the benefits and
risks of nuclear power for better future and find out a sustainable solution. Risk from fatal
accident and radioactive waste management for a long period of time surely diminish the
benefits of nuclear power, such as no green house gas emission and significant amount of
power supply with minimum infrastructural development. As nuclear power is all about
balancing the benefit and the risk, therefore this paper summarizes the benefit and risk causing
from nuclear power to find out a sustainable choice for future energy demand.
______________________________________________________________________

Keywords: Nuclear energy, climate change Group on Energy and Climate Change
effects, radioactivity, energy demand, (AGECC) for universal access to modern
sustainable development. energy by 2030 [2] is a daunting prospect,
given the intertwined challenges to tackle
1. INTRODUCTION natural resources security, energy
Modern age is passing an energy deficient insecurity and climate change impact. At
time and the coming days will definitely be present, nuclear power appears to be the
starved for energy. About 1.4 billion best choice for many nations. However,
people (20% of the global population) do integrating nuclear power into a country‘s
not have access to electricity and 2.7 billion energy infrastructure is not without
people (40% of global population) rely on challenges. It has a great prospect of
traditional biomass for basic energy needs supplying sufficient amount of energy with
such as cooking and heating [1]. Increasing creating less impact to the environment but
global energy demand combined with the in the long run there still remains a doubt
need to minimize Green House Gas (GHG) about its sustainability.
emission will require the diversification of
energy sources, while still ensuring that the 2. Sustainable Development
bottom 2 billion people- those who live on Human beings are said to be at the centre
less than USD 2.5 per day have access to of concerns for sustainable development.
modern energy services. Achieving the We are entitled to a healthy and productive
goal set in April, 2010 by the UN Advisory life in harmony with nature. States are seen
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Vol. 04 issue 03 February 2012
as having the right, within the principles of following the industrial revolution [8]. The
international law, to exploit our own global average temperature has increased
resources and the responsibility to ensure by 0.3˚C to 0.6˚C, and the sea level rose 10
that any activities within our jurisdiction do to 15 cm in the past 100 years. If
not cause damage to the environment or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue
other States. In addition, the right to to increase at the present rate, it is
development must be fulfilled so as to predicted that the average global
equitably meet the developmental and temperature will increase by about 1˚C by
environmental needs of present and future the year 2025 and by 3˚C at the end of the
generations. Eradication of poverty is seen century [9]. The increase of atmospheric
as a required element of sustainable GHG concentration results to a large extent
development. Climate change is a pressing from human activities [10, 11]. Scientists
threat to the sustainability of life on earth predict if no effective protection policies
[3]. It is a highly complex problem that is for the environment are put into place, the
unpredictable, reflecting an intricate global temperature will increase by 1˚C to
interaction of organizational production 3.5˚C, and the sea level will increase by 15
processes, government management and to 95 cm. This will make many countries
regulation, natural forces, and individual uninhabitable by 2100 [12]. The second
behaviour [4]. It is generally held that assessment report of Inter governmental
sustainable development requires attention Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated
to the following things: that the CO2 concentration in the
Food availability and protection. atmosphere rose from 280 to 358 ppm in
Water availability in adequate 1994 [13]. The World Meteorology
quantities. Organization (WMO) also pointed out in
Disease prevention and medical greenhouse gas annual report in 2007 that
treatment. the CO2 concentration had already raised to
Steady and abundant supply of 383 ppm [14]. CO2 is the main GHG
energy specifically, electricity. emitted from various sources and power
Sewage treatment. sector is solely responsible for 30%
Infrastructure development such as emission of CO2 throughout the world [15].
schools, factories and
transportation. 4. Nuclear Energy: An Emerging
Source
3. Global Climate Change Effects The star, of which our sun is one, relies on
In recent years, dramatic environmental nuclear fusion for their output of heat, light
changes have caused extraordinary climate and other radiations. If one believes in the
changes around the globe. This has made Big Bang Theory, then the Earth may be
countries all over the world to focus on considered as a fragment of the Sun. Fusion
greenhouse effect issue and consider it reaction is exactly what is happening on the
seriously [5]. It is an important problem Sun. Energy from fission reaction is
that can‘t be ignored because the derived from a nuclear reaction involving
greenhouse effect causes global warming uranium or plutonium as the fuel which
[6, 7]. In the past century, research and originally comes from the fragment of the
literature has concluded that carbon dioxide Sun. Nuclear reactors are either the slow
(CO2) concentration increased by 28% thermal kind using moderators or the fast

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breeder type using purer fuels and able to international source of information on
generate or ‗breed‘ new fuel form which is nuclear energy, predicted in August 2009
useful in the context of renewability. It is that global nuclear power capacity would
projected that world primary energy be doubled by 2030, from the current 372
demand will increase by 45 percent gigawats electric (GWe) to 807 GWe.
between 2006 and 2030, an average Today, about thirty countries are
annual rate of growth of 1.6 percent harnessing nuclear energy in about 440
slower than the average growth of 1.9 commercial reactors. Table I. shows the list
percent per year from 1980 to 2006 of countries with their respective nuclear
[16]. The International Atomic Energy programme.
Agency (IAEA), the most authoritative

Table I. The list of countries with their respective nuclear programme [17].

Nuclear Programme Countries

Contracts signed, legal and regulatory United Arab Emirates, Turkey.
infrastructure well-developed
Committed plans, legal and regulatory Vietnam, Jordan, Belarus, Bangladesh.
infrastructure developing
Well-developed plans but commitment pending Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Poland,
Lithuania, Chile.
Developing plans Saudi Arabia, Israel, Nigeria, Malaysia,
Morocco, Kuwait.
Officially not a policy option at present Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Norway, Ireland.

5. Problems With Nuclear Energy waste that will last for tens of thousands of
The disadvantages of nuclear energy years [18]. On average, uranium ore
include: the storage and management of contains only 0.1% uranium. Most nuclear
dangerous high level radioactive waste, the reactors require one specific form of
possibility of proliferation of nuclear uranium, uranium-235 (U-235). This form
materials and potential terrorist represents only 0.7% of natural uranium.
applications, the high cost of building To increase the concentration of U-235, the
nuclear facilities and the possibility of uranium extracted from ore goes through
accidents. Common people awareness is an enrichment process, resulting in a small
another issue that may also regard as a bar quantity of usable ‗enriched‘ uranium and
for nuclear energy programme. These huge volumes of waste. If nuclear power
disadvantages are listed below with production expands substantially in the
respective description. coming decades, the amount of waste
5.1 Radioactive Waste requiring safe and secure disposal will also
High-level radioactive waste is very significantly increase. High-level nuclear
dangerous. It lasts for tens of thousands of waste can last for thousands of years before
years before decaying to safe levels. It is being safe again, so this is a major hurdle
highly radioactive and is a major barrier for which must be overcome before nuclear
the expansion of nuclear power. More than power can expand. Radioactivity can be
fifty years of commercial nuclear energy turned out fatal for human body. Table II.
use has left the world with a legacy of tens shows major problems caused by
of thousands of tons of highly radioactive radioactivity.

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 Table II. Human tissues and organs ranked by sensitivity to radiation
induced cancer

High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk

Brain
Stomach
Bone Marrow Bone
Ovary
Breast (premenopausal Uterus
Colon
Thyroid (child) Kidney
Bladder
Lung Esophagus
Skin
Liver

5.2 Proliferation remains of another star, at which point

Some forms of nuclear reactor, known as heavier elements were made. Essentially,
"breeder" reactors produce plutonium, once they're gone, they are well and truly
which can, conceivably, be used to make gone. Only in particle accelerators can
nuclear weapons. This is a conventional heavier elements be made. Therefore the
explosive mixed with radioactive material type of fuel required for nuclear power
with the intention of spreading the material programme is not abundant at all.
across a wide area to do even more 5.4 Changing Perception of Common
damage. As modern world politics is People
circling to grab more power and get share Common people always posses a doubtful
of energy of any rival country, therefore mind regarding nuclear energy. They feel
any nuclear power generating project could free considering its capability to deliver
be turned into nuclear weaponry production huge power but become fearful when they
project at any time. consider its adverse effects. Table III. and
5.3 Fuel Supply IV. are showing the drastic change of the
Nuclear fuels are, physically, even rarer perception of common people and the
than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels at least are reflection of doubtful mind setup about
made on Earth, albeit over millions of nuclear energy programme.
years. Heavy elements like Uranium are
only made as stars die, in supernovas. Our
solar system actually formed from the

Table III. Global Views about Nuclear Energy before the Japan Earthquake (Fukushima
Nuclear Power Plant Tragedy) in 2011 [19].

Condition Globally (%) Japan (%)

Favourable 57 62
Unfavourable 32 28
No Response 11 10

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Table IV. Global Views about Nuclear Energy after the Japan Earthquake (Fukushima
Nuclear Power Plant Tragedy) in 2011 [19].
Condition Globally (%) Japan (%)
Favourable 49 39
Unfavourable 43 47
No Response 8 14

This changing mind setup of common people create dilemma among decision makers to take
any major decision about launching nuclear power programme.

5.5 Accidents Happened So Far has been introduced starting from 0 to 7.

Nuclear power generating programme have Table V. lists these accidents with
been caused for some fatal accidents so far. respective INES scale and International
To judge the severity of those accidents Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
International Nuclear Events Scale (INES) description.

Table V. Nuclear power station incidents since 1952 with respective INES level and IAEA
description [20].

INES
Year Incident Country IAEA description
level
Reactor shutdown after the 2011 Sendai
2011 Fukushima 5 Japan earthquake and tsunami; failure of emergency
cooling caused an explosion.
Reactor shutdown after the 2011 Sendai
2011 Onagawa Japan
earthquake and tsunami caused a fire.
Severe health effects for a worker at a
2006 Fleurus 4 Belgium commercial irradiation facility as a result of high
doses of radiation.
Degraded safety functions for common cause
2006 Forsmark 2 Sweden failure in the emergency power supply system at
nuclear power plant.
Thirty-five litres of a highly enriched uranium
2006 Erwin United States
solution leaked during transfer.
United Release of large quantity of radioactive material,
2005 Sellafield 3
Kingdom contained within the installation.
Overexposure of a worker at a power reactor
2005 Atucha 2 Argentina
exceeding the annual limit.
2005 Braidwood United States Nuclear material leak.
Partially spent fuel rods undergoing cleaning in
2003 Paks 3 Hungary a tank of heavy water ruptured and spilled fuel
pellets.
Fatal overexposures of workers following a
1999 Tokaimura 4 Japan
criticality event at a nuclear facility.
1999 Yanangio 3 Peru Incident with radiography source resulting in

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 INES
Year Incident Country IAEA description
level
severe radiation burns.
1999 Ikitelli 3 Turkey Loss of a highly radioactive Co-60 source.
1999 Ishikawa 2 Japan Control rod malfunction.
Pressure build up led to an explosive mechanical
1993 Tomsk 4 Russia
failure.
Spread of contamination to an area not expected
1993 Cadarache 2 France
by design.
Near accident caused by fire resulting in loss of
1989 Vandellos 3 Spain
safety systems at the nuclear power station.
1989 Greifswald Germany Excessive heating which damaged ten fuel rods.
Widespread health and environmental effects.
Ukraine
1986 Chernobyl 7 External release of a significant fraction of
(USSR)
reactor core inventory.
Spherical fuel pebble became lodged in the pipe
1986 Hamm-Uentrop Germany
used to deliver fuel elements to the reactor.
More than 100 workers were exposed to doses
1981 Tsuraga 2 Japan
of up to 155 millirem per day radiation.
Saint Laurent des Melting of one channel of fuel in the reactor
1980 4 France
Eaux with no release outside the site.
1979 Three Mile Island 5 United States Severe damage to the reactor core.
Damaged fuel integrity, extensive corrosion
1977 Jaslovské Bohunice 4 Czechoslovakia damage of fuel cladding and release of
radioactivity.
Total loss of coolant led to a power excursion
1969 Lucens Switzerland
and explosion of experimental reactor.
United Graphite debris partially blocked a fuel channel
1967 Chapelcross
Kingdom causing a fuel element to melt and catch fire.
1966 Monroe United States Sodium cooling system malfunctions.
Error by a worker at a United Nuclear
1964 Charlestown United States Corporation fuel facility led to an accidental
criticality.
Santa Susana Field
1959 United States Partial core meltdown.
Laboratory
Due to inadequate cooling a damaged uranium
1958 Chalk River Canada
fuel rod caught fire and was torn in two.
During a subcritical counting experiment a
1958 Vinča Yugoslavia power build up went undetected - six scientists
received high doses.
Significant release of radioactive material to the
1957 Kyshtym 6 Russia
environment from explosion of a high activity

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 INES
Year Incident Country IAEA description
level
waste tank.
United Release of radioactive material to the
1957 Windscale Pile 5
Kingdom environment following a fire in a reactor core.
A reactor shutoff rod failure, combined with
several operator errors, led to a major power
1952 Chalk River 5 Canada
excursion of more than double the reactor's rated
output at AECL's NRX reactor.

6. Nuclear Energy: Sustainable Solution impact studies and the length of time from
or Future Threat planning to design and construction of the
Nuclear energy is clean and has a potential nuclear infrastructure typically last no less
to guarantee the world to serve with an than several decades. Plus nuclear waste is
everlasting supply of fuel without affecting still considered to be more controversial
resources sorely needed for other than fossil fuel emission, often requiring
applications. However, so far little has large underground storage facility. Despite
possibly been known about the damages these obvious hurdles, perhaps the most
associated with nuclear power generation. important challenge for this industry is
The valuation of damages is further about the risk of fatal accident and
complicated because they are likely to spreading radiation. Because casualty and
occur only after several decades. Therefore fearful damage from such accident is not
it is difficult to estimate the benefit of that so easy to handle by sending
nuclear energy avoiding its risk. Nuclear emergency rescue team and providing
power generation is seemingly profitable. immediate shelter or medicine, the brutal
However when real costs are taken into effects of this type of damage pass from
account, nuclear is often more expensive one generation to another through
than fossil fuels. For instance, nuclear radioactivity and can be caused of an
energy takes a long time to produce. The everlasting suffering for human race.
process of permitting, environmental

Table VI. Cost of electricity estimated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

and University of Chicago report.

University of Chicago report

MIT report (2003)
Electricity Generation Type (2004)
Cost (cents per kWh)
Coal 4.2 3.3 to 4.1
Natural Gas (Combined Cycle
3.8 to 5.6 3.5 to 4.5
Gas Technology)
Nuclear 6.7 6.2

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