How does nuclear power affect the environment?
Nuclear power is environmentally benign, and therefore, its operation has little impact on the environment. Nuclear power has essentially a zero emissions burden on a small total footprint. Nuclear power plants comply with the requirements and expectations of the Clean Air Act of 1970, which set standards to improve the nation’s air quality. Because they generate heat from the fission process, they produce no gases or particulate emissions associated with burning fuel during operations. About one-quarter of America’s electricity comes from clean-air sources, including nuclear power plants, hydroelectric plants, and wind and solar energy facilities. Nuclear power plants generate about 20 percent of U.S. electricity, or about 74% of the entire nation’s clean-air electricity generation. By replacing other fossil fuels used for generation of electricity, nuclear energy has significantly reduced U.S. emissions of air pollutants and gases. Nuclear energy is the only large-scale, based-loaded
