Generation of energy through the Nuclear route – either fission or [in future] fusion, is a much misunderstood & unjustifiably feared concept amongst most individuals. A reason for such irrational aversion for Nuclear energy could be due to improper understanding of the principles & processes involved in the generation of Nuclear energy, brought about by inaccurate information from sources best not referred to.
Yet, the tangible benefits obtained from harnessing Nuclear energy & inherent advantages of energy generation the Nuclear way, makes it imperative that people are made aware of the facts & imparted with the right information about Nuclear energy, dispelling their fear based on incorrect information received thus far. Generating awareness & dispelling myth about Nuclear energy is especially important in India, considering that Nuclear Power plants are going to be set up in India in a big way, in the coming decades, to help meet energy requirements, a fact made possible due to the waiver received from the NSG, the Hyde Act & the 123 Agreement [PDF] signed between India & the United States of America in 2008.
The book The Nuclear Energy Option: An alternatives for the 90s attempts to do just that. Using easy to assimilate, simple language, the author, Professor Bernard Leonard Cohen, explains, in sufficient details, the concepts of Nuclear energy generation and the various aspects related to it, like the actual danger posed by Nuclear radiation, cost of electricity generated the Nuclear way etc. Dispelling with the use of Mathematical equations or avoidable technical terminologies, yet putting forth the correct information, this is a book one must read to become more aware and gain better understanding of Nuclear Energy.
The complete book has also been made available to reading for free by the author himself in the HTML format - The Nuclear Energy Option: An alternatives for the 90s.
The Virtual Nuclear Tourist ! Nuclear Power Plants Around the World is another site that is a venerable source of information about Nuclear Reactors and plants around the world. It also has an exhaustive collection of URLs to other related site of interest & collection of related photos. This informative site is a result of the efforts of 1 man. I wish, though, that he had provided for a better navigation through his site – a small yet significant inconvenience.
Godspeed