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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 12 page paper which examines the origins of its development and concentrates on the critical period between 1970 and 1990. Specifically considered are current reactor research programs, current state of nuclear power plant design, radioactive waste, plant licensing extension, decommissioning, government oversight, and future prospects. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Page Count:
12 pages (~225 words per page)
File: TG15_TGnukepow.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
The Manhattan Project where the goal was to develop the first atomic bomb through releasing tremendous amounts of energy created by nuclear fission (1942-2002: 60 Years of Nuclear, 2002; Rothenberg,
2001). After this success, which marked the end of the war, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was created by President Harry Trumans administration in 1946 to develop both military
and civilian technology, even though up until that time, atomic energy had been restricted to military applications (Rothenberg, 2001). Five years later, at an Idaho testing location, a reactor
experimented with generating electricity from nuclear fission for the first time (Rothenberg, 2001). This made it possible for atomic energy to be used commercially and ended what had been
the federal governments monopoly (Rothenberg, 2001). Therefore, the AEC was entrusted with the dual tasks of promoting commercial nuclear power and developing safety regulations (Rothenberg, 2001). By 1957,
the first power plant was in operation in England, and the United States also began its foray into the nuclear power industry (1942-2002: 60 Years of Nuclear, 2002). Today,
most of the operational nuclear power plants are fueled by uranium, and the nucleus so to speak of the plant is the reactor or core where the heat is generated
and fission takes place within a controlled environment (Marcus and Levin, 2002). A coolant removes the heat, which propels a turbine that produces the electricity (Marcus and Levin, 2002).
However, research studies that were sponsored by the AEC and private consultants revealed serious safety concerns about nuclear power dating back to the late 1950s (Rothenberg, 2001). By the
1960s, there was a widespread fear among industry experts of an accident involving loss of coolant, which would take place if there would be a disruption in the circulation of
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