The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant Entrance

This energy source is one of the cleanest non-renewable energy supplies available to us. To produce energy, a neutron encounters the nucleus of an atom of a uranium isotope and the fuel atom is slit into different elements plus neutrons and heat.  The heat is taken out of the reactor to eliminate overheating of the reactor and to produce steam to power the turbines and generators that produce the power.  The released neutrons stay in the system to reproduce the reaction. 

The Cause 2000 group in front of the nuclear power plant sign

  When you think of all the current energy sources used, and the worst-case scenario that could occur given a huge disaster, nuclear is at the top of the list for the most disastrous, but not most likely to occur.  With sources of energy such as coal, petroleum, natural gas, and renewable sources, the risk mainly surrounds the workers present and some possible contamination of the local environment.  Nuclear on the other hand, will kill all on site, and others in a circular proximity of the site.  Prime examples are Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.  Ever since TMI in 1979 no new nuclear reactors have been built.  Public confidence in nuclear power fell drastically after this incident.  The public does not want to run a nuclear plant when a problem occurs at their electric suppliers.  If you ask most, they do not want a nuclear plant in their back yard, and this hurts nuclear powers potential to grow.  Although this is one problem, the main drawback to nuclear power is the waste produced.

The Cause 2000 group outside of the Yucca Mountain Repository

Currently, radioactive waste is stored on-site at individual plants in spent fuel pools or aboveground dry casks.  There is a proposed repository in Nevada.  Yucca Mountain, is where all of our current nuclear waste could be stored one day soon.  At Yucca Mountain, researchers are studying and trying to understand all the components that exist within the ecosystem.  

The Cause 2000 group inside Yucca Mountain

More than 50,000 samples have been taken of the rock and water from the surface, in the tunnel drifts, and beneath the surface.  Also for more than 10 years, scientists have been monitoring earthquakes in the local region. 

Shawn investigates the rock sampling

Unfortunately, Yucca Mountain, if the proposal goes through, will be just a start to the United States nuclear waste storage.  Approximately 100 miles of tunnel will hold 70,000 metric tons of spent fuel, when we currently already have 40,000 metric tons of spent fuel produced.

Strolling through the tunnel through Yucca Mountain

 By the time we would get Yucca Mountain filled up and closed it would be time to start building another repository.  This creates the problem that time will not be available for further exploration of the effectiveness of nuclear waste burial.

The long walk out of the tunnel, led by Steve

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