Nuclear Energy is here to stay Despite the well-publicised risks , many countries are pushing forward with nuclear energy .
Countries such as China , India , Russia and the UAE are constructing a further 50 nuclear power stations , as they phase out fossil fuels .
However , a reliance on nuclear energy requires a long-term solution to managing nuclear waste , from spent fuel to the clothing worn by nuclear power plant workers . This must be safely stored away .
In Finland , the Onkalo site aims to last for 100,000 years , where the spent fuel can be left in peace . The site consists of 70km of underground tunnels , where nuclear waste can be stored throughout the next 100 years of nuclear energy production . There is room for 3,250 canisters , which will contain around 6,500 tonnes of uranium combined . The entrance will be blocked off and it is hoped that no future civilisation ( human or otherwise ) will reopen it , although warning signs have been left .
Other countries are creating similar solutions for nuclear waste and as past nuclear power plant disasters have proved , there is no room for human error or cutting costs .
Once the last uranium particle has been used up , nuclear energy will be history . The sun will continue to shine , the wind will spin and water will flow , powering humanity onwards . Considering how far these technologies have progressed in the last half-century , it is expected that each of these energy forms will develop to be more efficient by the time uranium runs out .
Although homeowners will never be able to affix a nuclear power plant to their roof , like one does a solar panel , the next 200 years look promising for nuclear energy .
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