ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

1
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

• Stan Gordelier
• Head
• Nuclear Development Division
• OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

Group of European Municipalities with Nuclear
Facilities (GMF) Seminar, Brussels, 5-6 October
2005
2
OECD NUCLEAR ENERGY AGENCY

• Not a promotional organisation for nuclear
  energy.
• Aims to provide data and analyses for policy
  makers.
• Has different membership to EU.

3
STARTING POINT

• The need for energy in support of economic and
  social development is universally recognised,
  making adequate energy supply a key element of
  sustainable development.
• Government policies compatible with sustainable
  development objectives should be based upon
  comparative assessments of risks and benefits of
  alternative options.

4
Environmental Impacts - Comparative Assessment
Potential for major/irreversible environmental
impacts
Waste Generation Disposal
Resource availability/ consumption
Pollution/Health Effects
Land use/impact on natural habitat
Etc.!
5
POTENTIAL FOR MAJOR / IRREVERSIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS
The Greenhouse Effect
6
Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity
generation by different sources
7
CO2 Emissions - Summary

• Nuclear Power 2.5-6 g carbon equiv/kWh.
• In OECD, avoids 1 200 million tons CO2/year.
• Reduces world CO2 emissions by 8.

8
POLLUTION/HEALTH EFFECTS
9
Annual doses due to discharges from the nuclear
fuel cycle
10
Sources of public exposure
In mSv per year
11
Average annual doses in Europe and Scandinavia
12
Dose/Risk Relationship Schematic
13
Health risks from sources of generation
14
WASTE GENERATION AND DISPOSAL
15
Waste Typical Power Plant
10 000 x more energy per unit mass cf. fossil or
biofuels.
16
Waste generation comparison Yearly production
of waste in the European Union
17
The High Level Waste from one persons lifetime
electricity needs
18
Disposal concept at Eurajoki - Finland
19
Example of Repository Safety Analysis (UK ILW)
UK natural background 10-4
20
The OKLO Natural Reactor
21
Disposal Philosophy and Radioactive Decay
Radioactivity
Meanwhile
Time
22
Waste Issues - Summary

• Society has a significant toxic waste disposal
  issue.
• Nuclear wastes are a small component of this
  issue.
• Geological disposal is safe and achievable (but
  difficult social issues remain).
• Such disposal adopts a more demanding philosophy.

23
RESOURCE AVAILABILITY AND CONSUMPTION
24
Uranium and Thorium Useless minerals?

• Uranium and Thorium (potentially commercial fuel)
  have no other significant uses!
• Fast reactors x30 better utilisation of uranium
  from 238U conversion.

25
Effect of technology advances on resource
availability1
26
Things to mention in passing

• Land use.
• Partioning and Transmutation.
• Generation IV.
• There are no hydrogen mines!

27
OVERALL SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF
NUCLEAR POWER

• Some significant advantages
• Negligible CO2 production.
• Lower health risks.
• Small (relatively) waste production.
• Uranium (and Thorium) readily available and
  otherwise useless.
• But
• It is not a silver bullet!
• Governments need to balance those factors against
  other issues, in particular societal acceptance.