Hydropower Vs Nuclear

Hydropower, unlike Nuclear power has been used in some form, for over two millennia. The ancient Greeks first used wheels powered by water to crush grain and corn. The first modern hydroelectric power plant went into operation in 1882 on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin. Nuclear power is a much newer technology, with the first electricity generated by a nuclear reactor near Arco, Idaho, and the first plant coming online in 1954, in Obninsk, Russia. .By spinning of turbines, energy is produced by Hydro and Nuclear power. In hydropower, water goes throughout turbines in a dam; the result of this process causes a generator to spin, producing electricity. In contrast nuclear power, is emitted through the heating of water by radioactive rods , that will produce steam, in turn spinning a turbine that parallels the design of hydropower, both spinning a generator to produce electricity. Both have given barren areas lacking in other natural resources or alternative sources of energy the ability to generate and conduct power. The recent understanding and fear of global warming has spawned a new desire for both types of energy platforms because both produce little to no greenhouse gas. Another benefit to both nuclear energy and hydropower is that they cost little to maintain, uranium being quite inexpensive versus its output, and free running water. Both power sources contain many advantages: Hydro ranging from production of very little pollution; it is affordable; and the plants are energy-e and efficient, require little maintenance and are easy to stop and start. Besides being inexpensive, nuclear power produces little air pollution or greenhouse gases and can be contained in a small space. Nuclear and hydropower have some significant drawbacks, due largely to possible environmental consequences. While nuclear power is generally safe -- after 50 years, there has not been a single recorded death in the U.S. that can be traced to nuclear power(some may argue that this is a result of good lobbyists) - after its use the waste is highly toxic and difficult to dispose of in a safe feasible manner. While hydropower is non-polluting, the consequence of building dams to run it alters habitats and ecosystems in a negative way. Even from its genesis, the idea of any country having the ability of Nuclear Power, threatens the balance of peace, and in many ways push certain countries towards war in order to defend their personal interest. Since then there have been many experts, leading authorities and scientists that have been perplexed on the idea that going nuclear could be a substitute for our current energy source. Even if many believe the theory that history repeats itself, the masses will do what they feel is best regardless of circumstance. In some way every energy source has its drawbacks and benefits, scientists and engineers have drew up plans to create and stabilize the much needed power source of nuclear energy. The most amazing advantage hydropower has over other resources is the harvesting factor. This number is the ratio of the energy expected to be produced by the power plant versus the energy expected to be expended to build the power plant. Hydropower plants have an incredible harvest factor of roughly one thousand two hundred; this is the only power source with a harvest factor in the thousands. Wind has a harvest

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