How a Nuclear Reactor Works
A nuclear reactor is like an enormous, high-tech tea kettle. Nuclear plants split atoms to heat water into steam. The steam turns a turbine to generate electricity. It takes sophisticated…
Nuclear Fuel
Nuclear generates nearly 55 percent of the country’s clean energy by using uranium instead of burning fossil fuels. Uranium is an abundant metal and is full of energy: One uranium…
Here’s How a Nuclear Reactor Actually Works
Our largest source of clean energy uses a process you can’t see: fission. At nuclear power plants across the country, highly trained workers monitor an ongoing chain reaction that generates…
Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy: Safety, Cost, & Efficiency
What Is Nuclear Energy? Nuclear energy is derived from the energy in the core of an atom. Power plants use the process of nuclear fission—the splitting of the atom—to…
Environmental Effects of Nuclear Power
Nuclear power, as with all power sources, has an effect on the environment through the nuclear fuel cycle, through operation, and potentially through the disposal of waste. Waste heat As…
Notable activations of BWR safety systems
General Electric defended the design of the reactor, stating that the station blackout caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami was a "beyond-design-basis" event which led to Fukushima I…
Design Basis Accident (DBA) for a nuclear power plant
The Design Basis Accident (DBA) for a nuclear power plant is the most severe possible single accident that the designers of the plant and the regulatory authorities could reasonably expect.…
BWR Hydrogen Management
During normal plant operations and in normal operating temperatures, the hydrogen generation is not significant. When the nuclear fuel overheats, zirconium in Zircaloy cladding used in fuel rods oxidizes in…
Standby Liquid Control System (SLCS)
The standby liquid control system is used in the event of major contingencies as a last measure to prevent core damage. It is not intended ever to be used, as…
Emergency Core-Cooling System (ECCS)
While the reactor protection system is designed to prevent contingencies from happening, the ECCS is designed to respond to contingencies if they do happen. The ECCS is a set of…
