Can a nuclear power plant explode?
No. That’s impossible. An explosion happens when a large amount of enriched uranium is forced into a compact shape. Nuclear power plants can’t explode because only about 3% of the fuel is enriched uranium. And it can’t be forced into a compact shape because of the reactor’s design. What about accidents involving the release of radiation? All nuclear plants release some radiation. The amount is very small. It’s controlled. And it’s regulated by the government. In fact, people get more radiation by watching color TV than they do from a nuclear plant. But what if a serious accident happens? It’s not likely, but higher amounts of radiation could be released. How farms are affected depends on a variety of things. These include: 1) the amount of radiation released 2) the weather during the accident 3) distance from the plant. If a serious accident happens, state officials will tell you how your farm is affected. The following sections of this pamphlet give more information about radiation. A
