An atom collides with another, sending a wave of energy outward as it splits. The extremely hot heat wave collides with the water, instantly turning it into steam. This steam rises until it turns a huge wheel and electricity is produced. It might sound like a cheesy science fiction movie, but it's actually a real process used to produce energy around the world. Nuclear energy. But many critics and concerned citizens say it's not worth it. The controversy over nuclear energy grows every year as the need for clean energy increases: but is nuclear energy the "silver bullet" for the energy crisis or a risky gamble we can't afford to take? , why use radioactive uranium instead of simple coal or oil? Think of it this way: Nuclear reactors produce thirty-five tons of waste every year. Sounds like a lot, right? But coal plants produce over 15 tons of waste… per minute. That's over seven billion tons per year! (Enc. America 2) Furthermore, the reactors release absolutely no emissions – gases – into the air. This means that they do not contribute to global warming at all. (NEI 2)Not only are nuclear reactors environmentally friendly, but they are also economical. Building a reactor is a big project, so it provides a lot of jobs to the United States. By using reactors, we reduce our dependence on foreign fuel by more than 2.1 billion barrels since 1979—billions of dollars that stay in the U.S. wallet. (NEI 2) Many people who fear nuclear energy imagine that a nuclear meltdown is like an atomic bomb: mass destruction, mushroom clouds, everything. But in reality the truth is that, whatever happens, this cannot happen. There is simply not enough uranium to explode. (NEI-2, 1) In a nuclear power plant all disaster scenarios are considered and multiple safety systems are implemented against them. For example, plants have a wide variety of sensors and monitors that measure everything from temperature, to water pressure, to water level, and many other things. If any of these detect something wrong, the system will immediately and automatically shut down. (NEI-2, 2) Not only that, but there are also many physical barriers; ceramic pellets that retain fuel and waste; robust zirconium alloy fuel rods; a large, sealed steel container with eight-inch walls; and last but not least, the imposing concrete structure that constitutes the facility itself.