Is Nuclear Power Actually Dangerous?

Nuclear power is making a comeback. In 2025, it is expected to generate almost 10% of electricity worldwide, which marks a new high in its decades-long history as a major energy source. But, as more countries turn to nuclear energy, people still question its safety. Therefore, a safety audit on nuclear power, one of the world’s most infamous energy sources, must be conducted.

A lot of the fear surrounding nuclear energy stems from past disasters. The Chernobyl explosion in 1986 and the Fukushima meltdown in 2011 caused major environmental damage and forced thousands out of their homes. The permanent deposits of the harmful radiation left in the surrounding area leave an equally permanent effect on the public psyche. These events had made nuclear power seem incredibly dangerous.

In reality, though, such accidents are extremely rare. Nuclear energy has an estimated 1/10⁹ to 1/10¹⁰ probability of a major incident per year (Otway, 1974). Studies show it is one of the safest energy sources, with only 0.03 deaths per terawatt-hour—far lower than coal’s 24.6 or oil’s 18.4 (Ritchie & Roser, 2024). Essentially, even with the chance of a catastrophic meltdown, you are several times more likely to die via smoke inhalation from a coal-fired power plant than by radiation caused by a nuclear reactor.

While past accidents have had long-term effects on the environment, modern safety advancements continue to minimize risks. Present-day nuclear reactors now have advanced cooling systems and strong protective structures to prevent accidents. An example of this is the Small Modular Reactor (SMR), a newer type of nuclear reactor that has an added safety feature– it shuts down automatically if something goes wrong. Thanks to these improvements, today’s nuclear reactors are significantly safer than older designs.

In addition, despite these high-profile events, many countries continue to heavily rely on nuclear power without incident. France, for example, gets about 65% of its electricity from nuclear power (as of 2024), which helps it maintain low carbon emissions. South Korea has also successfully incorporated nuclear power into its energy system. Meanwhile, Germany took the opposite approach and shut down its nuclear plants after what happened in Fukushima. This led to their reliance on fossil fuels and overall increased pollution levels. And while some people may worry about the radiation emitted if those nuclear reactors had stayed, mundane things like the sun, X-rays, and even bananas are responsible for most of our exposure to it.

Nuclear energy is both challenging and beneficial for the environment. On the one hand, nuclear waste is difficult to manage. Scientists are working on ways to safely store this waste, such as burying it deep underground in special storage facilities. On the other hand, it produces almost no carbon emissions, which makes it a great option for fighting climate change. To put it into perspective, a nuclear plant releases only around six tonnes of carbon dioxide per gigawatt-hour, compared to coal’s 970 tonnes.

To add to these benefits, new technologies like thorium reactors and nuclear fusion could make nuclear power even safer and more efficient than they are now. Thorium reactors produce less waste and have a much lower risk of meltdown. Nuclear fusion could provide nearly unlimited clean energy. However, these developments still need years of research and funding before they can become a reality.

So, is nuclear power really that dangerous? Like any energy source, it does expose communities to hazards. But when compared to others like fossil fuels, it is much safer for the local population and cleaner in the long run. With new technologies and improved safety measures, the risks of nuclear power may be reduced, and it could play an important role in creating a more sustainable future.