Nuclear Power

Nuclear power already supplies a significant proportion of the world's electricity, but public and political concerns remain, particularly in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster. Regardless of the short term behaviour of world fossil fuel markets, neither they nor the fuelwood which dominates third world energy supplies are limitless. Continued reliance on them will become increasingly expensive and a source of growing environmental concern. This book describes the basic nuclear power technologies and discusses the factors that have and will continue to determine the formation of nuclear policies in different parts of the world. Authoritative surveys provide insight into nuclear power development in Europe, the USA and Canada, in Japan, India and the developing countries including the Eastern bloc. Descriptions are given of the current position concerning matters of wide public interest such as radiation and its effects, nuclear safety, waste management and decommissioning. The overall situation and future prospects for nuclear power are reviewed in terms of its economic, environmental and strategic attractions and of the constraints on its introduction in many parts of the world.