Nuclear power plants are highly energy efficient, but they are also highly risky due to corruption and safety issues. In addition to nuclear power, we need to explore and research various alternative energy sources for safe energy use.
This past summer was unusually hot. It was even hotter because there was nowhere to escape the heat. You couldn’t go into a bank, department store, or bookstore without getting a cool breeze. This was because the government had implemented intense power-saving measures such as shutting down air conditioning in public institutions due to the worst electricity shortage in history. With progressive taxes applied to electricity bills, it was impossible to enjoy air conditioning even at home. The main culprit behind the power shortage that plunged the entire country into a sweltering heat wave was, oddly enough, the ‘nuclear scandal’.
In 2013, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) was found to have substandard parts. The test reports for these components had been falsified for years. The systematic involvement of the manufacturer, JS Cable, the verification agency, Saehan T.I.P., and the approval agency, KEPCO, led to the mockery of the ‘nuclear mafia’. After being caught, the substandard parts delivered had to be overhauled and replaced. As a result, the power plants that used the parts were shut down and construction of new plants was halted. In order to fill the power gap, instead of using nuclear power plants, which are cheaper to produce, they had to use liquefied natural gas or diesel, which are more expensive to produce. The government’s official estimate of the damage is 9.95 trillion won, and the burden has been passed on to the people. It was not a sudden increase in electricity usage or the shutdown of power plants due to the disaster, but mere ‘irregularities’ that caused us to sit at our desks sweating profusely on hot days. Settling for lukewarm to hot fan breezes.
The South Korean government has announced that it will increase the share of nuclear energy from 26% to 29% by 2035. Compared to coal, nuclear energy is the most reasonable choice for Korea because it has a lower energy cost per unit and lowers the rate of carbon dioxide, which is the main cause of environmental pollution. However, given the current state of the nuclear power industry, it is questionable whether it is practical to build more nuclear power plants to produce more energy. The nuclear power industry is a very specialized industry, and its workforce is centered around certain schools and connections, which has led to a huge chain of corruption, giving rise to the so-called “nuclear mafia”. Instead of building new nuclear power plants, we can recover the stolen power if we keep a close eye on the energy leakage from the mafia. The statistics show that stopping the leakage is enough. According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), South Korea’s household electricity consumption is 1088 kWh per capita. This is less than that of the U.S., France, and Canada, and less than half of that of Japan, a country that is known for its frugality. The transparency of the electricity industry should be strengthened, and the excess electricity generated by nuclear power plants should be sourced from eco-friendly energy sources such as wind and solar power.
Nuclear power plants are not only expensive to build and operate, but there are also unforeseen additional costs. These additional costs include cleanup costs in the event of an accident, waste disposal, and more. Nuclear accidents are highly unlikely, but when they do occur, the damage is unimaginable. The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Fukushima disaster in 2011 are examples of the dangers of nuclear power plant accidents. The effects of these accidents can be felt for decades, the radioactive contamination from the accident affects countless living things, and the aftermath of the accident is often accompanied by huge economic losses and social unrest. This is one of the reasons why the safety of nuclear power plants is constantly debated.
Safety is the biggest reason why people are worried about the construction of nuclear power plants. The nuclear power industry has a history of corruption, so safety cannot be expected. I don’t want to imagine the tragedy that will happen if defective parts cause an accident. In addition to corruption at nuclear power plants, large-scale bribery is also rampant at the repositories where waste from nuclear power plants is disposed of. The site manager of a construction contractor was caught taking bribes totaling 525 million won from six subcontractors. The safety of the repository, which is supposed to store radioactive waste for a long time, has been compromised. While these are humiliating scandals, the bigger problem is that we cannot be sure that nuclear power plants themselves are safe. There have been three major accidents involving nuclear power plants. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima. This may not seem like a high rate considering how long nuclear power plants have been operating and how many there are. But when you consider how devastating a single accident can be, it’s a number that can’t be ignored. Each of the three accidents was caused by a combination of equipment failure, accumulated operational errors, and natural disasters. Since nuclear power plants are managed by humans, there is always the possibility of mistakes, which can lead to disaster at any time. Even if all human-caused accidents are prevented through thorough management, natural disasters are a threat that we cannot prepare for. This was the case with the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, where human technology was powerless in the face of a massive tsunami. When the coolant stopped working, it triggered a series of hydrogen explosions, which leaked into the ocean, groundwater, and into Fukushima Prefecture. Especially when you consider that nuclear power plants are built in places with abundant hydroelectric resources for cooling water, you can see how serious the danger is. Korea is not completely safe from earthquakes either. While we tend to think that Korea is relatively safe because Japan is on the edge of a tectonic plate and Korea is on the inside, the earthquakes since recorded history are not reassuring. Korea’s power plants are designed to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 6.5, as earthquakes larger than that have historically occurred and are likely to occur in the future. The Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan was helpless because they didn’t expect an 8.8 magnitude earthquake. As such, nuclear power plants can be catastrophic when they leave the realm of humans. This is why we fear nuclear power.
Nuclear energy is the best energy in terms of efficiency. But the truth is, there is a trade-off. With the greatest benefits come the greatest risks. Before we rush to build more nuclear power plants, let’s take a look at what we have now: are they safe and are we missing out on any power? The benefits of nuclear power are clear. But we can’t ignore the risks. We need to consider both energy efficiency and safety. Instead of emphasizing the efficiency of nuclear power plants, we need to thoroughly analyze and prepare for the risks that lie behind them. In order to use energy safely, we need to explore and research alternative energy sources other than nuclear power. Considering these different energy sources will be the first step towards sustainable development.
