270 likes | 1.26k Views
Chernobyl Disaster. Chernobyl. The Chernobyl accident occurred in April, 1986 in the Ukraine There was an explosion and fire in a reactor The only accident of a commercial nuclear power plant There was a flawed design of the reactor. Diagram of the Chernobyl reactor – the RBMK-1000.
E N D
Chernobyl • The Chernobyl accident occurred in April, 1986 in the Ukraine • There was an explosion and fire in a reactor • The only accident of a commercial nuclear power plant • There was a flawed design of the reactor
Diagram of the Chernobyl reactor – the RBMK-1000 www.world-nuclear.org, 2014
Chernobyl • Officially, 30 people died as a result of radiation • High levels of thyroid cancer in children in the years after the disaster • Operator error was a contributing factor • It was the largest uncontrolled radioactive release into the environment • 220,000 people had to be resettled away from the contamination
Nuclear Power Controversy • Pros: • Provides affordable power • Processing spent uranium will prevent it from being used for destructive purposes (www.energy.gov 2/13/06) • Reduces greenhouse emissions • Creates jobs
Nuclear Power Controversy • Cons • Creates a risk to the environment • Any accident can release radiation • Difficult and expensive to dispose of nuclear waste • Decommissioning nuclear sites is very expensive • Uranium can be used to build nuclear bombs (www.thebulletin.org , March/April 2006)
Sources • "English Online." Chernobyl. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. <http://www.english-online.at/news-articles/environment/chernobyl-25-years-after-nuclear-disaster.htm>. • "Decommissioning of Chernobyl Units Approaches." Chernobyl. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
Sources • "Chernobyl & the Nuclear Power Controversy." Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.