Nuclear Energy for the Third Millennium

Abstract

The major energy sources of today are expected to last for only a small fraction of the millennium starting in the year 2000. In the plans of most people, nuclear energy has been ruled out for four separate reasons:

• 1. The danger of radioactivity from a reactor accident or from reactor products during a long period after reactor shutdown;

• 2. The proposed fuels, U-235 and also Pu-239, as obtained by presently available procedures will serve only for a limited duration;

• 3. Energy from nuclear reactors will be more expensive than costs of present alternatives;

• 4. The possibility of misusing the products for military purposes is an unacceptable danger.