The Reasons Why Nuclear Power Plants Are Built on Coasts
Fukushima makes us wonder why anyone would build a nuclear power plant on a coastline.
The now-infamous Fukushima power plant was located near a coastline like many nuclear plants are. Now, we all saw the after-effects of Fukushima being so close to water. It got decimated by a tsunami which makes us wonder: why do we build nuclear plants so close to the water?
There is actually a very smart and practical reason for that. As nuclear power plants generate massive amounts of energy, they also generate enormous amounts of heat and they need a lot of cooling to keep their equipment operational.
Seawater is an incredible coolant and it is abundant, free, and, in the right weather, very cold. Nuclear reactors go through a series of nuclear reactions where water is used as both a moderator and a coolant.
Why is water so effective as a moderator and coolant? What exactly does it do? What role does it play in ensuring that nuclear reactions take place at the right speed? What other many benefits does water bring to a nuclear power plant? What engineering and technology are involved in bringing the water to the plants? Our video answers all these questions and more and brings you footage of many coastline nuclear power plants.
