Nuclear power links
by Chris Woodford. Last updated: 29 August 2011.
Is nuclear power a good thing or not?
Here's our wide-ranging and reasonably balanced collection of links, some from independent sources, some from the nuclear industry, and some from anti-nuclear campaign groups. We've tried to label all the websites so you know which ones are pro and which are anti.
But do try to read widely... and make up your own mind!
Photo: Nuclear power means the power locked inside
atoms.
Illustration courtesy of US Department of Energy.
Contents
Introductions - from independent sources
Introductions to how nuclear power works, nuclear fission, chain reactions, and so on.
Introductions - from the nuclear industry
More introductions to nuclear power, this time from nuclear-industry websites.
These may have more of a pro-nuclear bias (though some are very balanced).
Introductions - from anti-nuclear campaign groups
More introductions to nuclear power, this time from environmental and scientific campaign groups. These tend to be openly biased against nuclear power (though not always).
Climate change
Industry sources claim nuclear power is the way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions;
campaign groups say not.
Economics of nuclear power and alternatives
What's the economic case for and against nuclear power?
Nuclear reactors
Information about specific nuclear reactors (power plants and experimental, scientific reactors).
Fuel and uranium mining
What's so bad about uranium mining and the nuclear fuel cycle?
-
The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Position Paper: A briefing paper from AMP Capital Investors, Australia that explains why they will not invest in the uranium mining and processing industry. (Currently listed under "Previous papers").
Decommissioning
Is it possible to remove nuclear installations safely at the end of their life?
Waste
Is it possible to dispose of nuclear waste safely?
Pollution
How big a problem is radioactive contamination (pollution) from nuclear plants?
Accidents
How many nuclear accidents have there been and where did they occur?
Weapons
What's the connection between nuclear power production and nuclear weapons?
-
Nuclear Threat Initiative: Lots of good information here, including tutorials
and backgrounders. Anti-nuclear bias.
-
The Manhattan Project: An Interactive History:
A US Department of Energy project charting the creation of the atomic bomb, from Fermi's work on the original nuclear reactor in Chicago in 1942 onwards. Served from the Wayback Machine Internet Archive, since the original has mysteriously disappeared.
-
Nuclear disarmament:
A reasonably detailed article from Wikipedia charts the history of the anti-nuclear movement.
-
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND):
Many detailed briefings and information sheets about nuclear weapons. Strong anti-nuclear bias.
World safety and terrorism
Most people accept that nuclear power has made the world a much more dangerous place.
Nuclear Industry (and other pro-nuclear groups)
Websites representing various aspects of the British nuclear industry.
Campaign groups and organizations - anti-nuclear
A selection of groups opposing nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
Energy topics
Some more general websites about energy and power.
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Lower Carbon Futures:
Research from Oxford's Environmental Change Institute, including a project to create a house than uses only 40% as much energy as normal.
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Decentralized Energy: A 2005 report from Greenpeace advocating generating energy near the places where it's used.
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Energy Quest Canada:
A very comprehensive children's introduction to energy and electricity.
Covers all forms of electricity production, including coal, nuclear, and renewables.
Lots more links!
These are more collections of general links, for and against nuclear power:
