What are some advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy and coal energy?
Answer First it is important to point out that we have many options for generating energy. We do not, and should not, assume that we have to choose between coal and nuclear. Both options have serious drawbacks, and in general I would recommend an energy strategy which phases out much of our coal production, and all of our nuclear production. There are many sources of energy that are better for the environment than coal. All other sources of energy are better environmentally than nuclear, and all are cheaper than nuclear. We don’t use more nuclear as compared to coal because of several factors. The biggest factors are safety and economics. While there is some recent discussion about new nuclear plants, there hasn’t been a new nuclear plant ordered in the United States in about 30 years. Part of that is because of public distrust of nuclear plant safety, following major nuclear plant accidents at Three Mile Island, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1979, and also in Chernobyl, Russia, in 1986
