Critics of nuclear energy, who nervously are watching the industry's nascent resurgence, say public opposition to nuclear energy remains as strong as ever. But after years of being reviled for safety concerns and costs, and plagued by memories of the accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and the meltdown of the Chernobyl plant in the former Soviet Union, beleaguered nuclear power is getting a new look from the energy industry. In a power industry that is rapidly consolidating, the plants are now seen not as white elephants but as cash cows. But new ones are being considered, mostly in the East, according to some observers. Despite its rocky history and widespread concerns about safety and disposal of radioactive waste, nuclear power has turned out to be a highly efficient way for some power companies to produce electricity.
Critics disagree, as strongly as ever.
In addition to voicing concerns about storage and transportation of used nuclear fuel, critics worry anew about the risk of accidents. Extending the lives of aging power plants after years of exposure to intense heat and radiation, they say, could invite disaster. A nuclear power plant is simply a device to heat water to create steam, which turns a turbine attached to a generator to produce electricity. Instead of burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal or natural gas, a controlled nuclear reaction involving uranium heats the water. The plants use a series of steel and concrete barriers to prevent the release of radioactive material into the outside environment.