An unviable alternative

Despite its low-carbon benefits, nuclear energy's high costs, safety risks, and regulatory hurdles limit its role in mitigation as a renewable energy source, with even advanced reactors likely serving as mere supplements to more economical renewables like wind and solar

- KRISHNA GUPTA

The principle of nuclear power is quite simple: nuclear fission splits the nuclei in atoms of certain elements like Uranium, releasing large amounts of energy, which is used to heat water, producing high-temperature steam, which turns turbines and produces electricity.

The first nuclear reactors began producing electricity in the 1950s and are referred to as Generation 1 reactors. These have mostly gone out of service and have been replaced by Generation 2 reactors. The main difference is that Generation 2 reactors use water, instead of graphite, to slow down the nuclear chain reactions.

There are 440 nuclear reactors in 31 countries, with an installed capacity of 390 Gigawatts, producing 2,600 Terawatt hours of electricity in 2023. Nuclear energy accounts for around 10 per cent of total electricity production in the world. The USA, China, France and Russia are the top nuclear power producers in the world. While France gets about 70 per cent of its power from nuclear energy, Ukraine, Slovakia and Hungary get 50 per cent of their power from nuclear energy.

Nuclear energy: pros and cons