Nigeria to Build a Nuclear Power Plant- The Safety and Security Risks

Nuclear power is an energy technology that harnesses the powerful forces that hold together the nucleus of an atom.

Scientific advances in the first half of the 20th century led to the discovery that the nuclei of certain radioactive elements, such as uranium, could be broken into smaller components in a process called nuclear fission "splitting the atom" releasing enormous amounts of energy.

The first practical use of nuclear fission was to create nuclear weapons, but peaceful uses of the technology, including power generation, were rapidly developed in the decades after World War II.

How does nuclear power work?

In a typical nuclear reactor, uranium fuel rods release neutrons, which bombard other fuel rods to create a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction. This chain reaction produces large amounts of heat, which is used to drive electricity-generating steam turbines in much the same way that heat from coal combustion is used in a coal-fired power plant.

How much of our electricity comes from nuclear power?

In the US, about a fifth of their electricity is generated by nuclear power, making nuclear power the third largest electricity source after coal and natural gas. But what is still don’t get is why Nigeria would want to build a Nuclear power plant in Nigeria, when more gas plant should have been build and the flared gasses from oil/gas production used to drive the turbine.

Risks of nuclear power

There are two major kinds of risk associated with nuclear power:

Safety risks. A serious accident at a nuclear power plant could release large amounts of dangerous radiation, with disastrous consequences for the environment and an increased risk of cancer for those exposed to the radiation. In a situation where corruption in the management of the plant is inevitable.

Security risks include both the risk of sabotage and terrorist (Boko Haram) attacks on nuclear power plants and the risk that nuclear materials will be stolen and used to create nuclear weapons.

It is the job of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to minimize these risks by making and enforcing rules that the nuclear power industry must follow. UCS closely follows, and sometimes criticizes, the NRC's performance in protecting the public. 

Fellow Nigerians, do we have any believe that our government can effectively run and manage a nuclear power plant?