Nuclear Power versus Hydroelectric Power

The energy produced by nuclear power plants and hydropower dams is common and makes up a significant part of electricity generated for consumption. These two energies have a great importance for economy, their advantages and disadvantages, similarities and differences. Both nuclear power and hydropower are relatively clean energy production methods, although both can create environmental problems and negatively influence society. Production of these types of energy impacts environment, society, and economy.

The environmental impacts of hydroelectric dams and nuclear plants (NPP) are minor as they produce electricity in the cleanest and most efficient way. Hydropower is created using the energy of falling water that is not consumed, does not emit greenhouse gases, and does not harm the environment. According to Puchalski, hydroelectric dams adversely affect the nature as follows: their construction causes flooding of fields, meadows, pastures, changes ecosystem, prevents fish migrating, leads to water soaking in reservoirs, causes waterlogging, flooding, coastal erosion, and landslides. Atomic plants are adversely owing their thermal effects, they increase temperature by 1-1.5° within several hundred meters around, form fogs above water bodies which dissipate to 4 km, and worsen insolation. This affects the microclimate, the state of the waters, flora and fauna within several kilometers. NPP emits 2-2.5 heat units per unit of output into the atmosphere, hydroelectric dams produce no heat. World Nuclear Association stated, “All parts of the nuclear fuel cycle produce some radioactive waste and the cost of managing and disposing of this is part of the electricity cost”. The catastrophic irreparable environmental effects of NPP occur in case of accidents and radiation leaks. The total negative environmental impacts of power plants start from construction, continue during operation and even after it ends (NPP requires special storage conditions). Both NPPs and hydroelectric dams do not produce greenhouse gases, have no global warming effect, and are very reliable.

The construction and operation of nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power plants help to create jobs and require highly qualified personnel. Dams benefit the community by creating recreational areas, attracting tourists, and controlling flooding. Public attitudes toward hydropower are mostly positive but highly ambiguous with respect to nuclear energy due to major disasters in Chernobyl, Fukushima, and the Three Mil Islands, after which some nuclear energy programs have been reduced. Although these accidents occurred due to human errors, people attribute a bad reputation to nuclear power and the world community is trying to control the production of atomic energy and the risky storage and disposal of radioactive waste. Sometimes, society talks about possible nuclear terrorism. However, large dams are also dangerous because of their potential for destruction, especially in areas prone to earthquakes.

Hydropower accounts for 19% and atomic – for 16% of all energy produced in the world, but in the USA these energies provide about 27% of electricity generation. At present, justified use of hydroelectric power plants is maximal and nuclear power is still evolving. These energies are produced far from the consumer, which requires additional costs for the electricity transportation. The construction of nuclear power plants is very expensive but the costs of their maintenance are small. The efficiency of nuclear plants is about 80% and the service life is designed for 30 years, hydroelectric dams’ efficiency is up to 95% and the service life is about 100 years. Nuclear power plants are quite expensive to maintain and operate. Hydroelectric dams are much cheaper and, moreover, do not require fuel. Considerable costs are required for disposal of nuclear waste and decommissioning of NPPs, which requires the construction of a sarcophagus over them and further maintenance for a long time.

As one can see, both energies have positive and negative features but their advantages far outweigh the small risks and problems they pose. Both types of energy production are excellent, efficient, cheap, and clean ways to generate energy. Actually, producing these types of energy is rational, since they generate much more power than any other method.

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