Recently, I read an article regarding Singapore's intention to build an offshore underwater nuclear power plant. Here is the article:
Reflection
I feel that there are both pros and cons to Singapore's intention on building an offshore underwater nuclear power plant, but I feel that Singapore should go ahead with her intentions despite some risk being involved.
Firstly, Singapore's limited land space leads us to focus a lot on land maximisation. Building a nuclear power plant underwater is actually saving Singapore a huge amount of space, but yet providing Singapore with a large amount of energy. These large amounts of energy are essential in aiding Singapore's growth and progress, and could be the solution to the land scarcity in Singapore. This is crucial as Singapore is beyond her limited land resources and making use of other available resources to build her nation, as nuclear power is a much more efficient method of generating electricity compared to fossil fuels.
Secondly, by building the nuclear power plant underwater, we are in fact minimising the risk of any disaster as the water acts as a shield to Singapore in the case of any outbreak; the abundance of seawater would mean an abundant supply of liquid water that could be used to cool the generator and prevent it from overheating or a meltdown. The underwater nuclear power plant is also planned to be built 20km away from Singapore; this is quite a safe distance away from Singapore, should any misfortune happen. Therefore, the feasibility of Singapore's intention to build an offshore underwater nuclear power plant is further increased.
Lastly, some might argue that Japan's recent nuclear power plant disaster should serve as a warning to Singapore, that we should not consider this idea at all because no matter how many possibilities an underwater nuclear power plant might pose, gambling with our lives, in this small little island, is simply not acceptable. However, I feel that the recent disaster in Japan instead serves as a learning point for Singapore, that although we are shielded from tsunamis and earthquakes, we should still build the power plant to withstand such natural disasters, as there is certainly no room for mistakes when the lives of 5 million people are at stake.
To conclude, I still feel that it is a good idea to build an offshore underwater nuclear power plant after weighing the pros and cons in the points I have stated above.
Firstly, Singapore's limited land space leads us to focus a lot on land maximisation. Building a nuclear power plant underwater is actually saving Singapore a huge amount of space, but yet providing Singapore with a large amount of energy. These large amounts of energy are essential in aiding Singapore's growth and progress, and could be the solution to the land scarcity in Singapore. This is crucial as Singapore is beyond her limited land resources and making use of other available resources to build her nation, as nuclear power is a much more efficient method of generating electricity compared to fossil fuels.
Secondly, by building the nuclear power plant underwater, we are in fact minimising the risk of any disaster as the water acts as a shield to Singapore in the case of any outbreak; the abundance of seawater would mean an abundant supply of liquid water that could be used to cool the generator and prevent it from overheating or a meltdown. The underwater nuclear power plant is also planned to be built 20km away from Singapore; this is quite a safe distance away from Singapore, should any misfortune happen. Therefore, the feasibility of Singapore's intention to build an offshore underwater nuclear power plant is further increased.
Lastly, some might argue that Japan's recent nuclear power plant disaster should serve as a warning to Singapore, that we should not consider this idea at all because no matter how many possibilities an underwater nuclear power plant might pose, gambling with our lives, in this small little island, is simply not acceptable. However, I feel that the recent disaster in Japan instead serves as a learning point for Singapore, that although we are shielded from tsunamis and earthquakes, we should still build the power plant to withstand such natural disasters, as there is certainly no room for mistakes when the lives of 5 million people are at stake.
To conclude, I still feel that it is a good idea to build an offshore underwater nuclear power plant after weighing the pros and cons in the points I have stated above.
