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Americans have never fully embraced nuclear power as a viable alternative to carbon-emitting forms of energy like oil and coal. But is a nuclear renaissance waiting in the wings? As support for new nuclear projects grows (with 28 new reactors currently on the drawing board) we'll take a look at where the technology came from, the obstacles it has faced, and what the future might hold for this controversial energy source.
First, Focus Earth looks at the rich history of nuclear energy, from the famous "Manhattan Project" that produced the war-ending atom bombs of 1945, to turning on your lights and your TV with nuclear power. How did this energy come to be discovered and how was it harnessed? Bob Woodruff talks with experts on both sides of the issue: some who believe nuclear energy is the cure to our carbon woes, and some it is unfeasible for the U.S. because the cost of expanding our nuclear power fleet is too high and because of examples set by Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.
Next, the 1979 Three Mile Island disaster forever changed the way Americans view nuclear power, but more than 30 years later, what has changed at the infamous nuclear plant? Critics argue that it is no safer than it was in 1979, while some residents praise the plant for the growth of their local economy and employment. Bob Woodruff takes a rare inside tour of the plant and talks with its manager, as well as community activists, to explore what the future looks like for the notorious Three Mile Island?
Then, many Americans are worried not only about accidents, but also about terrorist threats and nuclear technology falling into the wrong, dangerous hands around the world. Could nuclear waste be turned into a dirty bomb? Are reactor buildings strong enough to survive a plane crash or explosion? Just how secure are nuclear power plants, and are countries like Iran and North Korea really just building power plants, or are there more malicious intents? Bob Woodruff talks with Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security, and one of the brightest minds in the security sector in search of answers to these questions.
Finally, countries outside of the U.S. have continued to develop nuclear technology, despite its stagnation here at home. France uses nuclear energy to power 80 percent of its country, and Bob Woodruff talks with the president of the leading French company, Areva, which thinks it can help power plants in the U.S. become cleaner, safer, and more efficient. By recycling spent nuclear fuel Areva is able to reuse uranium and plutonium in their reactors and find manageable ways to store what little waste is left. France recycles 96 percent of its nuclear waste using a technology that was created in the U.S. Is it time to bring it back home? Perhaps this could be the nuclear game changer proponents have been waiting for.
Tune into Focus Earth
and learn more about nuclear madness—and nuclear goodness.
Dig deeper into these issues:
Nuclear Power: Still a Controversy, After All These Years
When Recycling Isn't (Necessarily) Green: the Nuclear Waste Issue
Nuclear Power: Boost or Threat to National Security?
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