NUCLEAR ENERGY MYTHS — FAQ SHEET
Michael Hancock
June 30, 2025
Separating science from superstition.
MYTH #1: Nuclear energy is too dangerous.
✅ FACT: Nuclear power is one of the safest forms of energy per unit of electricity produced. It has fewer deaths per terawatt-hour than coal, oil, biomass, or even solar and wind (when manufacturing is considered). Modern reactors include fail-safe systems that automatically shut down without human input.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #2: Nuclear plants constantly leak radiation.
✅ FACT: Nuclear facilities are heavily regulated and monitored. Routine radiation emissions from plants are extremely low often less than what you receive from eating a banana or flying in an airplane.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #3: Nuclear accidents are common and catastrophic.
✅ FACT: In over 60 years, there have only been three major incidents: ● Three Mile Island (1979): No deaths. ● Chernobyl (1986): A Soviet-era design with no containment. ● Fukushima (2011): Zero radiation deaths. Today’s designs are dramatically safer and fundamentally different from those older plants.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #4: Nuclear waste is a deadly, unmanageable problem.
✅ FACT: Nuclear waste is solid, compact, and safely stored. The entire U.S. nuclear industry has generated about 88,000 metric tons of spent fuel over 60 years all of which could fit on a football field 30 feet high. And it can be recycled using advanced reactors.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #5: Renewable energy can fully replace nuclear.
✅ FACT: Wind and solar are intermittent. They need back-up power (often fossil fuels) when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Nuclear provides constant, reliable, zero-carbon baseload power an essential foundation for any clean energy grid.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #6: Nuclear energy is too expensive and slow to build.
✅ FACT: Delays and overruns are often due to regulatory complexity, not the technology. Nations like France and South Korea have built nuclear plants efficiently and affordably. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) promise lower costs and faster deployment.
MYTH #7: Nuclear energy contributes to nuclear weapons proliferation.
✅ FACT: Civilian nuclear programs are strictly monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Commercial reactors do not use weapons-grade materials, and fuel is tightly controlled.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #8: The public doesn’t support nuclear.
✅ FACT: Public support is growing, especially among young people and climate-conscious voters. A growing number of environmentalists and scientists now advocate for nuclear as essential to fighting climate change.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #9: Nuclear is outdated and obsolete.
✅ FACT: New technologies SMRs, fast reactors, and molten salt designs—offer safer, more efficient, and flexible nuclear solutions. Some are designed to consume spent fuel and even integrate with renewables.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
MYTH #10: We don’t need more energy we should just conserve.
✅ FACT: Conservation helps, but global energy demand is increasing especially for electrification (EVs, heating, AI data centers). We need more clean energy, not less and nuclear is the only source that scales with reliability.
References and discussion for myths and facts.
⚛ BOTTOM LINE: Nuclear power is safe, clean, reliable, and necessary for a secure, modern, prosperous energy future.
For those concerned about man-made carbon dioxide, nuclear power produces the least amount of CO2 and real pollution of all energy sources.
It’s time to replace fear with facts.