Nuclear benefits far outweigh the potential problems

A mere mention of nuclear power and many people who are still living in the last century throw their hands up in horror and start screaming "Chernobyl”

The CNPE de Nogent -sur-Seine Power station in France. Picture: EDF HO

A MERE mention of nuclear power and many people who are still living in the last century throw their hands up in horror and start screaming "Chernobyl” and "Fukushima” as reasons why we shouldn't touch it.

Their other problem is that they can't come to grips with nuclear waste and finish off by saying, "How would you like a nuclear reactor in your suburb?”.

Well, they may be surprised to know we already have a nuclear reactor in Lucas Heights, a suburb of Sydney. It has operated for many years without any problems and provides valuable nuclear medicine to hospitals.

We have vast areas of isolated land where storage areas deep underground could be used to store drums of radioactive waste.

There are also strides being made to recycle nuclear waste so it can be reused.

A nuclear power plant could provide clean power which will reduce our CO2 emissions and help to reduce global warming.

There are 450 nuclear reactors in the world, with another 58 reactors under construction and 160 others planned.

This information is sourced from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Apart from a means of providing electric power for domestic use, we can also use it to propel our ships, submarines and provide us a range of nuclear weapons to deter any aggressor from launching an attack on our country.

The benefits outweigh the risks of waste.

KEITH WHITESIDE

Sippy Downs