Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century
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The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) advised the European Union (EU) policymakers on the need to maintain the use of nuclear energy in Europe and to expand nuclear energy use by capitalizing upon new developments in nuclear fusion technology ("EU Institutionā," 1; "Nuclear Fusion Isā," 8). Safe and clean nuclear energy is seen as a priority in the EU for sustainable development and is seen as greatly contributing to meeting Kyoto Treaty requirements. The European Commission recently earmarked 750 million Euro dollars to fund nuclear fusion research and to begin construction of a large International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility ("Nuclear Fusion Isā, 8). In this report, an exploration of nuclear power development in Europe will be completed. The report will identify future developments, particularly the promise of nuclear fusion, and its possible impact on the situation. The Uranium Information Centre (1) reported in 2005 on the economics of nuclear power, particularly within the context of the EU. This organization states that nuclear power is cost competitive with other forms of electricity generation, that rising gas prices are making nuclear power even more appealing, and that the EU has launched a project to expand the use of nuclear power throughout Europe to reduced global warming and dependence on coal and gas. Others agree that nuclear power is a necessity. Gutierrez (1) noted that in Spain,
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clear power in Washington. Finnish generator TVO recently broke ground on what is likely to be the fast operating European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPWR), a technology developed by Framatome ANP, a venture owned 34% by Germany's Siemens and 66% by France's Areva, formed from the 2001 merger of CEA-Industrie, Cogema and Framatome. The 1,600 megawatt Olkiluoto 3 plant could be the first nuclear reactor ever built in a deregulated power market. It is due for completion in 2009 at an estimated cost of 3 billion [euro] ($3.6 billion).
This advanced European reactor is billed as having a 60-year lifespan, versus 40 years for most current-generation reactors, as producing less waste and 10% cheaper power and using 15% less uranium than existing plants, and as bringing a 10-fold decrease in accident risk ("Europe, US Hone Ideasā," 7).
The CEA (1), an organization supporting nuclear power plant
construction, asserts that there are three key advantages associated with nuclear energy today. Nuclear plants produce a safe energy supply, a cheap source of energy, and energy that is ultimately more environmentally sound than fossil fuels. Increased competitiveness will be achieved, thanks to reactors requiring less financial investment
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Laitner Pilling, Nuclear Society, Information Centre, Hone Ideasā, Cold Fusion, United Kingdom, Debate Futureā, Green Party, France Spain, Cogema Framatome, nuclear power, nuclear energy, nuclear fusion, nuclear power plants, power plants, nuclear society, european nuclear society, thermonuclear fusion, european nuclear, fossil fuels, experimental reactor, fusion technology, international thermonuclear experimental, thermonuclear experimental reactor, nuclear society 2,
Approximate Word count = 2586
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)
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