Pro and Against

PART 2

Summarize the texts in 6-7 sentences.

Answer the following questions.

Unit 10. Nuclear Power 77

Read the texts above and answer whether the statements are true or false.

a) For the first time in decade, political leaders are proposing nu­clear power as an important, long-term energy solution.

b) Other power producers are canceling new nuclear plants orders.

c) The fact that nuclear power is in the position to be favorably con­sidered is a result of the mainstream media harsh treatment.

d) The number of unusual events reported to the US NRC dropped from 151 in 1990 to just 18 in 2002.

e) A lot of nuclear plant components will require replacement spe­cifically to achieve extended operation for an additional 20 years.

f) As crucial to the scenario as the mishap were the lack of proper safety and emergency expertise and equipment at the site.

4. Define the following in English:

a) nuclear industry "renaissance"

b) plant systems, structures and components

c) nuclear power plant fleet

d) the lapse in judgement

a) How is nuclear power considered in the US in last decade?

b) What does the near-term impetus for this turn-around stem from?

c) What is the number of unusual events reported to the US NRC?

d) What are extensive monitoring and surveillance testing of plant
systems performed for?

e) What is the reason of the accident at the fuel reprocessing plant
in Tokaimura?

• Look through the text and define whether it is about solar energy or atomic energy. Think of your own title to the text.

The End of Nuclear Industry?

The European nuclear industry, which - through its 812 billion kWh

I

of output - accounted for 36% of the Continent's energy supply in 1997, still expresses confidence that the anti-nuclear tide will subside.' Nuclear industry representatives claim that Europe needs "clean" nu­clear power to meet E. U. greenhouse gas reduction targets, and that the economic costs of reactor closures are likely to sour² public opin­ion on nuclear phase out plans. The French nuclear industry also has high hopes for the new standardized European pressurized-water re­actor or EPR-design. The French hope that the new EPR may help nuclear power compete economically with new gas- and coal-fired plants and lead to a revival of nuclear plant development.

But the industry also faces major problems beyond the relative cost of nuclear power, including a string of public relations gaffes³ and an aging managerial class that has depended too much on cozy relation-

Section I. Power Engineering

Unit 10. Nuclear Power

ships with governments and regulators..For example, in May 1998, just as the German election season was heating up, newspapers were run­ning stories about higher than normal levels of radiation on trains used to move nuclear waste around Europe. The ensuing⁴public outcry forced several governments to stop shipments⁵ of waste to France for reprocessing. In the end, it turned out the European nuclear industry had been routinely ignoring strict standards on train radiation levels for years because — claim industry representatives — they pose no real health danger, and following the rules to the letter is virtually impossi­ble. But the stories gave the industry a black eye and Germany's anti-nuclear movement a campaign issue.

Looming above the usual fights over German nuclear safety and en­vironmental issues, however, is the feeling that all European electrici­ty sectors will be put through major changes by E. U.-mandated mar­ket liberalization that was scheduled to begin in February. A report by Chicago-based Andersen Consulting issued in November predicts that over the next two decades, the European market will come to favour gas-fired local generation over large, remote base-load plants - nuclear or otherwise.fAs a result, the report says, the market will come to be dominated by new trading and financial groups with links to the gas industry, while traditional utilities - the core supporters of nuclear power - will take a back seat.

1 - утихать; 2 - испортить; 3 — ошибка; 4 — последующий; 5 — транспорти­ровка

• Answer the following questions.

a) What do nuclear industry representatives claim?

b) What hopes has the French nuclear industry?

c) Why had the European nuclear industry been routinely ignoring strict standards on train radiation levels for years?

d) What does a report by Chicago-based Andersen Consulting is­sued in November predict?

• Read the following opinions of different people pro and against nuclear power plants.
Find out the reasons of their opinions and fill in the table.

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