INDUSTRY LEADER
Nuclear energy provides safe, reliable and low-cost power for homes and businesses.
Growing energy demands, unpredictable fossil fuel costs and the continuing need for clean energy are among the reasons nuclear power remains an attractive source of electricity.
BENEFITS
Clean, Reliable and Affordable
Nuclear power plants are a clean energy source because the plants don't burn any fuel to produce electricity. Nuclear power plant operation produces virtually no pollutants or greenhouse gases.
Land Conservation
• Seabrook Station uses only one-tenth of its 900-acre property. The remaining property serves as a wildlife preserve, providing homes to plants and wildlife.
• Duane Arnold only uses one-third of its 500-acre property. Local farmers produce crops and graze their animals on the remaining acreage.
Wildlife Protection
• Seabrook Station supports the New Hampshire Estuary Project and its efforts to improve the estuary’s water quality.
• Seabrook’s marsh and wooded areas are home to a variety of birds and animals. Many can be observed on the Owascoag Nature Trail near the plant.
• Duane Arnold Energy Center is involved in a successful nesting program for the endangered osprey.
Environmental Education
• The Point Beach Energy Center offers the "Energy Experience" for schools, civic groups and those interested in learning about nuclear energy.
• The center offers activities to supplement educational programs for all age groups.
NUCLEAR PLANTS
NextEra Energy Resources' nuclear portfolio includes plants in Iowa, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.
Duane Arnold Energy Center
Located near Palo, Iowa, Duane Arnold generates about 615 megawatts of power, enough to provide electricity for more than 600,000 homes.
Point Beach
Point Beach in Two Creeks, Wisconsin produces about 1,200 megawatts of power, approximately one-sixth of the state’s electricity.
Seabrook Station
Seabrook Station generates more than 1,250 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply 1.2 million families with power for a year.
How Nuclear Plants Work
Nuclear power plants do not burn any fuel, so there are no pollutants released into the air. In a nuclear power plant, uranium – a natural ore that has been enriched – is used. Steam is generated through a process called fission, instead of burning oil, gas or coal.
Fission happens when tiny parts of uranium, known as atoms, split. During fission, even smaller particles of the atom, called neutrons, are released. The neutrons strike more uranium atoms, resulting in the release of the heat needed to generate electricity.
There are two types of reactors in the United States:
Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) – boil water so that it is converted to steam. The steam drives a turbine connected to a generator before being recycled back into water by a condenser and used again in the heat process.
Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) – keep water under pressure so it heats up but does not boil. Water from the reactor and water in the steam generator never mix.