Nuclear Disaster

"The nuclear disaster that happened on August 1945 in Japan, sacrificing over 200,000 lives and the explosion at Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine on 26 April 1986 has drawn the attention of world community on the consequence of nuclear as energy resource" (Keling, Feigenblatt, Ajis, Shuib, & Nadzri, September 2010). And the latest nuclear disaster in Fukushima Japan. Thus, nuclear power as a source of energy now has become a hot issue and is taken seriously by the whole world including Malaysia after all that had happened. Nuclear power can be defined as a "powerful form of energy produced by converting the nuclei of atoms. It is used to produce electricity" (Hornby, 2006). Although many authorities oppose to use nuclear power as an alternative energy source but I disagree and strongly believe that nuclear energy will provide a lot of benefit to our country in many aspects.

Opponents of nuclear powered energy source claimed that using renewable energies such as wind and solar also can as a role to sustainable life style and reduce greenhouse effect (Bonavigo, 25 April 2010). However, wind and solar are not available full time and require back up power. They have a limited potential and must be integrated by other energies. Nuclear is a best sources to replace other renewable source like significant part of the fossil fuel (coal, oil and gas) which is pollute the atmosphere badly and increase greenhouse effect level. "In burning fossil fuels, already injects 23 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year into the atmosphere, means that release 730 tons per second" (Comby, n.d.). Although whole life cycle of nuclear power plants has been produced carbon dioxide, but no emission during operation and very low amounts of emission on a life-cycle basic. For example, nuclear power plant will decrease the carbon dioxide emission in Iran power sector about 3% in 2010 (Kargari & Mastouri, 9 November 2010). Carbon dioxide emission reduction value will be more considerable in future years. Thus, the available alternative energy sources cannot reduce the carbon dioxide emission perfectly and are unsustainable compared to the nuclear power.

Opposition also argued that nuclear power lending a risk of nuclear explosion such as accident of Chernobyl. People's perspectives on nuclear technology has reduced after it happened. Nonetheless, accident Chernobyl was different because of the reactors at Chernobyl had no control the structure. Imperfect design made it unstable and Chernobyl was operated that night in a dangerous situation