LEAPers' Field Assignment # 2 : Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

What is Nuclear Energy?

      By definition, nuclear energy is non- renewable; it is the energy released by the splitting of uranium atoms in a process called fission. If you think it sounds dangerous, it is. However, in this field assignment, the urban guru tasks us to dig in deeper by finding its advantages, disadvantages, and what we think.

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Is Nuclear Energy worth using?

      Yes this kind of energy is useful. Why? You may ask. Here's why:

                                                        

  Help!

• Nuclear energy does not use fire as the source of heat/energy, it produces no carbon emission; thus, it is good for the air/atmosphere.
• Nuclear energy can be used to generate electricity for a city.
• The cost of electricity will decrease
• Nuclear energy produces no controlled air pollutants
• It has the lowest impact to the environment. It can help save Mother Earth!
• It produces most electricity relative to its environmental impact.
• Wastes generated are much less radioactive.

If it's worth using, then what's the risk we're taking?

   

You may think that Nuclear Energy goes "BOOM! BOOM!" If it goes wrong. Well you're not wrong. Here's why:

• Nuclear energy is difficult to manage.
• Nuclear fission is unfeasible.
• Problems will be hard to fix.
• Problems are chain reactions.

  

                                                                                                                                     BOOM! BOOM!

What do we think about harnessing energy from nuclear power plants?

Message from LegoMasterBuilder:

      

      I am not in favor of harnessing power from nuclear energy; since, it has more potential harm if ever earthquakes, typhoons or other natural calamities hit the area of the power plant.

Ayaw ko!!!

Message from EnviroLeaper:
                                                                                                                            I WANT!

      I, EnviroLeaper, am in favor of harnessing energy from nuclear power plants because the decrease of the cost of electricity can save money which can be used for other needs. Also, since nuclear energy has the lowest impact on the environment, it can help preserve it. (Sorry to be negative, but I think it’s too late to save it.  L) 
Message from AnimatinGirl:

      I am not in favor because I think the risk is too big to take. It might be dangerous since they have not yet had further research and testing or trials if it is already safe. For me it is better for it to remain a historical sight for students to understand about nuclear power.

Message from PlausibleRorschachII:

      I, PlausibleRorschachII, am in favor of harnessing energy from nuclear power plants, because like all of my LEAPer friends, the Philippines can have a low-priced, sufficient energy that can lessen the environment’s pollution.

On the job experiences of...

LegoMasterBuilder:

             I expected to learn about nuclear energy, possible effects of it to human health, process and/or activities.

            I learned that the BNPP took 11 years to be planned – where it would placed, why and how were some questions taken up by the DOST. For example, they took note of the location, fault lines, sea level and accessibility of the plant to major cities. They made sure that the plant will not be too far from the Greater Manila Area; yet, at the same time, keeps a safe distance if ever radioactivity occurs.

          In my opinion, the most interesting part of the power plant is the entrance/ where the employees of this plant take precautionary measures to ensure that they are “radio-actively-free”. They do this by going through metal detectors and hand-print detectors.

EnviroLeaper:

       The urban guru asked us what we expected to learn. And I said that I expected to learn more about nuclear energy and how it can be used to change, make, or improve our future. I also wanted to know why the architectural design was different from other infrastructures. I also expected to learn how nuclear will be handled if they decided to operate the power plant.  

       The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) was a blast (not literally)!  I learned that BNPP was the first nuclear power plant in the Philippines and that it started in 1976. They use a uranium pellet is used as the fuel of the power plant. It is equivalent to 9 drums of oil and 3 tons of coal. However, due to the EDSA revolution, the power plant didn’t operate anymore and is now currently under preservation. But it’s sad that I wasn’t able to ask about its architectural structure  L .         

         I loved the control room of the power plant with its buttons, levers, and telephones that can do different things. However, there was a big temptation to press and pull them all! 

AnimatinGirl:

        I expected to learn a lot more about nuclear energy and how it functions. And that's exactly what I found out in the power plant!

PlausibleRorschach: 

                                                                                                                                   Walking Dead

      What I expected from the BNPP is that I would know how nuclear energy works, the process, how the energy is produced, etc. I also expected to learn facts that is astonishing about this nuclear power plant.

         I learned the process by which the energy is made and how it is done in any nuclear power plants, around the world. I also learned the history of the BNPP: The Philippine nuclear program started in 1958 with the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) under Republic Act 2067. Under a regime of martial law, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in July 1973 announced the decision to build a nuclear power plant. This was in response to the 1973 oil crisis, as the Middle East oil embargo had put a heavy strain on the Philippine economy, and Marcos believed nuclear power to be the solution to meeting the country's energy demands and decreasing dependence on imported oil.

      The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was really fun to be in, I love the security: the CCTV cameras, all those fences and gates, hand-print detectors, smoke detectors, etc. It makes you feel like I’m in the Prison of THE WALKING DEAD (without the zombies).