Nuclear Power Plant in Malaysia

Hazimi Ismail Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam

With the increase of price in energy fuel, more efforts and researches have been done in order to find the alternative to the electricity generation all over the world, including our country. Many suggestions and ideas have been discussed to solve this concern and many of them conclude that the nuclear power plant is the best way for our country. As people voted in Star Online, 56% agree, 32% disagree and the other 12% need more information to give decision, I give my opinion Yes to nuclear power plant. These are my arguments and reasons of my stand. There are many advantages and disadvantages of the nuclear power plant. Obviously, nuclear power plant does not depend on the fossil fuel. The fuel cost to electricity ratio is lower than the fossil fuel power plant. Based on the statistic from World Nuclear Association, the nuclear power plant is the lowest in cent per kilowatt compared to oil, natural gas and coal. The nuclear power plant also does not emit CO2 as much as fossil fuel power plant does. In fact, claimed by Mara Hvistendahl from Scientific American , a properly functioning nuclear power plant actually releases fewer radioactivities into the atmosphere than a coal-fired power plant. Hence, the pollution and greenhouse effect problem can be reduced or minimized. Nuclear power is one of the safest methods of producing energy. Based on Ralph Kinney Bennett from University of Texas, each year 10,000 to 50,000 Americans die from respiratory diseases due to the burning of coal, and 300 are killed in mining and transportation accidents. In contrast, no Americans have died or been seriously injured because of a reactor accident or radiation exposure from American nuclear power plants. There are a number of safety mechanisms that make the chances of reactor accidents to a very low level. One of the major disadvantages of nuclear power is the risk. The major accident in nuclear power plant can be very catastrophic and global disaster. Like what happened in Chernobyl, it also can be happened in the future. Moreover, the safety issue always comes to our mind because we always heard the infrastructure and building failure due to the inadequate quality of the building in Malaysia. The capital cost for a nuclear power plant is very expensive and need very high skilled workers. The waste of uranium will last its radioactivity to 10000 years before it become stable and safe. The waste management cost can be pricey and hazard to the environment. The nuclear power plant also is not a renewable and sustainable energy. The uranium reserve can last to 50 years from now, though technologies such as breeder reactors can, in theory, stretch that to more than 1,000 years. In conclusion, the advantages of nuclear power are what Malaysia need right now. That is why we have to use nuclear power as long as the regulations, standards and precautions are strictly obeyed and met.