Elon Musk: It is possible to build ‘very safe’ nuclear plants

Posted:

July 24, 2021, 00:07 GMT

The American businessman rejects the idea of ​​developing fusion reactors, which involves accumulating energy from a mixture of atoms, not splitting it.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has spoken out in favor of nuclear energy development. According to the American businessman, modern technologies make it possible to build safe nuclear power plants, and general bias should not be an obstacle to development in this area.

The billionaire discussed the issue during the B-Word Crypto Innovation Conference, which took place this week. CNBC.

“I think modern nuclear power plants are safe, contrary to what people might think,” he was quoted as saying by CNBC. “I really think it’s possible to build very safe nuclear plants.”

He even ruled out the idea of ​​developing fusion reactors Collect energy from combining atoms, don’t divide it. For many, fusion energy has the potential to become the ultimate form of renewable energy, because it does not carry any of the risks inherent in nuclear fusion.

“I’m talking about fission,” said the businessman. “You don’t need a fusion. You have a big fusion reactor in the sky, called the Sun. It shows up every day.”

Fusion is the opposite reaction to fission, which is for its part the process used in conventional nuclear reactors. With the fission reaction, a neutron collides with a larger atom, splitting it into two smaller atoms, releasing energy.

“A better way to generate energy”

Although he hasn’t explained how nuclear power plants can be made “extremely safe,” the Tesla boss has publicly supported the use of that energy for years.

“We should build more nuclear power plantsThe billionaire said in a 2007 interview with TV program. “I think it’s a better way to generate power than coal-fired or natural gas-fired power plants.”