Nuclear power

The nuclear power is about the controversy which has surrounded the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes. The debate about nuclear power peaked during the 1970s and 1980s, when it "reached an intensity unprecedented in the history of technology controversies", in some countries. Proponents of nuclear energy argue that nuclear power is a sustainable energy source which reduces carbon emissions and can increase energy security if its use supplants a dependence on imported fuels. Proponents advance the notion that nuclear power produces virtually no air pollution, in contrast to the chief viable alternative of fossil fuel. Proponents also believe that nuclear power is the only viable course to achieve energy independence for most Western countries. They emphasize that the risks of storing waste are small and can be further reduced by using the latest technology in newer reactors, and the operational safety record in the Western world is excellent when compared to the other major kinds of power plants. Opponents say that nuclear power poses many threats to people and the environment. These threats include health risks and environmental damage from uranium mining, processing and transport, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation or sabotage, and the unsolved problem of radioactive nuclear waste. They also contend that reactors themselves are enormously complex machines where many things can and do go wrong, and there have been many serious nuclear accidents. Critics do not believe that these risks can be reduced through new technology. They argue that when all the energyintensive stages of the nuclear fuel chain are considered, from uranium mining to nuclear decommissioning, nuclear power is not a low-carbon electricity source.

Issues
There are seven reasons why people should say "yes" to nuclear power:

Because renewable energy and energy efficiency wont solve the energy and climate crises Because nuclear fuel is virtually unlimited and packs a huge energy punch Because new technology solves the "nuclear waste" problem Because nuclear power is the safest energy option Because advanced nuclear power will strengthen global security Because nuclear power's true costs are lower than either fossil fuels or renewables Because nuclear power can lead the "clean energy" revolution

Lowe argues that there are seven reasons why people should say "no" to nuclear power:

Because it is not a fast enough response to climate change Because it is too expensive Because the need for baseload electricity is exaggerated Because the problem of waste remains unresolved Because it will increase the risk of nuclear war Because there are safety concerns Because there are better alternatives

Energy supplied
Many studies have documented how nuclear power plants generate 16% of global electricity, but provide only 6.3% of energy production and 2.6% of final energy consumption. This mismatch stems mainly from the poor consumption efficiency of electricity compared to other energy carriers, and the transmission losses associated with nuclear plants which are usually situated far away from sources of demand.

Energy security
See also: Energy security and Uranium mining

For some countries, nuclear power affords energy independence. Nuclear power has been relatively unaffected by embargoes, and uranium is mined in countries willing to export, including Australia and Canada. However, countries now responsible for more than 30% of the worlds uranium production: Kazakhstan, Namibia, Niger, and Uzbekistan, are politically unstable. Reserves from existing uranium mines are being rapidly depleted, and one assessment from the IAEA showed that enough high-grade ore exists to supply the needs of the current reactor fleet for only 4050 years. Expected shortfalls in available fuel threaten future plants and contribute to volatility of uranium prices at existing plants. Uranium fuel costs have escalated in recent years, which negatively impacts on the viability of nuclear projects. According to a Stanford study, fast breeder reactors have the potential to provide power for humans on earth for billions of years, making this source sustainable. But "because of the link between plutonium and nuclear weapons, the potential application of fast breeders has led to concerns that nuclear power expansion would bring in an era of uncontrolled weapons proliferation".

Discussion Text
Social Function To present (at least) two points of view about an issue.

Generic Structure 1. Issue:

Statement Preview

2. Arguments for against or statement of differing points of view:

Point Elaboration

3. Conclusion or recommendation Significant Lexicogrammatical Features 1. Focus on generic human and generic non-human Participants 2. Use of:

Material Processes, e.g. has produced, have developed, to feed Relational Processes, e.g., is, could have, cause are Mental Processes, e.g., feel.

3. Use of Comparative, contrastive and Consequential conjunctions 4. Reasoning expressed as verbs and nouns (abstraction). Berikut adalah contoh Discussion text / example of discussion text: