We all use electricity, but have you ever wondered how we actually get it in our homes? Well, electricity comes from a number of sources in the UK, including nuclear reactors. BBC reporter Jordan Dunbar went to a nuclear power plant to find out more about the arguments for and against nuclear power.

Hi Newsround! I got the chance to go to a nuclear reactor and I wanted to show you guys how nuclear power makes our electricity. There’s big debate going on at the moment about nuclear power: some people say it could help us produce cleaner energy … … others feel there are safety concerns that need to be looked at before we consider building more nuclear plants. So, I got the chance to go to a nuclear reactor.

Well, it’s basically just a giant kettle. I’m not even joking! Let’s get inside and I’ll show you.

I look like an astronaut!

So, beneath me right now is a nuclear reactor. That’s where they split the atom. It’s a few meters of lots and lots and lots of concrete, but it is just directly below us.

OK, so, first we need heat, and the thing that makes this is a mineral dug up from the ground called uranium. And it’s made up of tiny, tiny pieces called atoms.

In these deep concrete tubes, the workers here split these tiny atoms apart, which creates a huge amount of energy, which comes off as heat. Now, stay with me guys, this gets complicated. So, that heats up a gas which then heats up water, which turns to steam – just like a kettle. I wasn’t joking!

That racket you can hear behind me are massive turbines–… they’re like big fans that are being turned around by the steam. That turning motion creates electricity, loads of electricity.

But some people worry about nuclear reactors. That metal they use, uranium, it gives off dangerous energy, as well as heat. If it escapes, it can be harmful to people –  it’s called radiation.

So, you might be worried about safety and that’s a big concern. The UK has really, really strict controls in place, which is why I had to do so many checks. OK, so now I’m going to go through a body scan before we leave this area, just check if there’s no radiation, and, yes, I was a wee bit scared!

The nuclear industry say the power plants are safe and produce clean energy, which we need to help fight climate change. But when there are problems, they can be really dangerous …… like when the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan had a series of explosions after the tsunami more than 10 years ago. The surrounding area is still unsafe for people to live in.

Making nuclear power also creates radioactive waste and that has to be really carefully stored for many, many years before it’s safe.

The government plans to build even more of these reactors to make our electricity; in fact, next door is the biggest building site in Europe.

The old plants that we were just in provided for for 1.4 million homes. This new plant is going to provide power for 6 million homes, that’s how much bigger it is and how much better the new technology has gotten. This new power plant is so huge they’ve had to build the world’s biggest crane and they’ve called it ‘Big Carl’.

A big reason people are keen to build more nuclear reactors is that once they’re up and running, the electricity they make is very clean – there’s no carbon dioxide …and carbon dioxide is one of the things that’s causing climate change and the world to heat up. But these types of power plants are incredibly expensive, they cost billions of pounds, which is way more than solar panels and wind turbines. They also take a long time to build, up to 10 years just for one, so not everyone thinks they’re a good idea.
(End)

• To wonder (verb): to think about something and want to know why something happens.
• A source (noun): the place or thing that something comes from.
• A nuclear reactor (noun): a machine in which heat and energy is created.
• A power plant (noun): a place where electricity is created.
• An argument (noun): a point of view or a reason for doing something.
• Debate (noun): discussion or conversation about a subject with different opinions.
• A concern (noun): something that interests or worries people.
• To look at something (phrasal verb): to study, think about, or consider something.
• A kettle (noun): a device used to boil water.
• Beneath (preposition): under or below.
• To split something (verb): to divide something into different parts.
• An atom (noun): the smallest possible amount of something.
• Concrete (noun): a very hard material used for building.
• A mineral (noun): a natural and valuable material that is found in the earth.
• To dig up something (phrasal verb): to excavate, to take something from the ground by digging.
• To come off (phrasal verb): to be released, produced, or given off.
• Stay with me (phrase): to continue to do something or concentrate.
• To heat up (phrasal verb): to become hotter.
• To turn to (phrasal verb): to transform into something different, to become.
• Steam (noun): water in the form of a gas when it reaches 100 degrees Celsius.
• A racket (noun, informal): a loud noise.
• A turbine (noun): a large machine, like a big fan, that turns to produce energy.
• To give off (phrasal verb): to produce, create, or emit something.
• Radiation (noun): a form of energy that can be dangerous and cause health problems.
• Strict (noun): very specific and exact, restricting the freedom of something.
• A check (noun): an inspection, examination, or test.
• A body scan (noun): a machine which checks your body for medical or security reasons.
• A wee bit (phrase, informal): a little bit, a small amount.
• An industry (noun): businesses of the same type that work in a specific area.
• Climate change (noun): long-term change in the Earth’s weather systems, caused by global warming.
• A series (noun): different events of the same type happening one after the other.
• A tsunami (noun): a very large wave in the ocean caused by movement of the earth.
• Surrounding (adjective): near, close to something.
• Radioactive (adjective): producing powerful dangerous energy.
• To store something (verb): to put or keep things in a special place for use in the future.
• Next door (noun): the person or thing in the next building.
• A crane (noun): a tall metal structure used for lifting and moving heavy objects.
• Keen (adjective): very interested or wanting to do something.
• Once (conjunction): as soon as, when.
• Up and running (idiom): operating and working normally.
• To cause something (verb): to make something happen.
• Incredibly (adverb): extremely, very much.
• A solar panel (noun): a device that changes energy from the sun into electricity.

In this text, there are different examples of the present simple and present continuous tenses. We use the present simple to talk about repeated actions or habits, permanent states, or things which are always true. Use the present continuous to talk about temporary things, things happening now, and future plans.

Use the present simple to:

– Talk about habits or things that are repeated often:

‘I play football every Friday.’   ‘He often listens to music before bed.’

– Talk about permanent states, things that are not temporary:

‘My mum works as a teacher.’   ‘I live in the south of England.’   ‘I hate brocoli!’

– Talk about facts and things that are always true:

‘Water boils at 100 degrees celsius.’   ‘Brazil is a tropical country.’

For most verbs, to form present simple questions, use the form: do/ does + subject + infinitive (without ‘to’); for negatives, use: subject + do/ does + not + infinitive (without ‘to’):

‘Do you go to school on the bus?’   ‘Does your sister live in Spain still?’   ‘I don’t do much after school.’

Use the present continuous (am/ is/ are + -ing) to:

– Talk about things happening now:

‘He’s talking to his brother on the phone.’   ‘I’m just having a snack.’   ‘We’re waiting for the bus.’

– Talk about temporary or short term things:

‘My mum is working at my school this week.’   ‘I’m living with my grandma at the moment.’

– Talk about future plans or arrangements:

‘We’re having a coffee together at 18.00.’   ‘She’s going to Paris next week.’

*Some verbs, ‘state verbs’, which are used to talk about states and not actions, are not usually used in the continuous form. Common state verbs include: want, need, like, love, hate, be, prefer, feel, have

‘I’m loving this film!’ ‘I love this film!’   ‘Are you wanting a slice of pizza?’   ‘Do you want a slice …?’

Examples in the text

• We all use electricity: the present simple is used to talk about a permanent state, our energy use.
• … electricity comes from a number of sources: the present simple is used here to talk about a fact.
• There’s big debate going on at the moment: the present continuous is used here to talk about something temporary, something only happening for a short time.
• … others feel there are safety concerns: the verb ‘feel’ is a state verb and used in the present simple tense here, not the present continuous, to talk about something happening now.
• I’m not even joking!: the present continuous negative is used here to talk about something happening now.
• … the workers here split these tiny atoms apart: the present simple is used here to talk about a permanent state, the workers’ jobs.
• … that heats up a gas which then heats up water: the present simple is used to talk about a fact.
• … big fans that are being turned around by the steam: a passive form of the present continuous is used here to talk about something happening now.

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2-grammar/present-simple

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2-grammar/present-continuous

#Electricity #RenewableEnergy #NuclearPower #BBCNewsround

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