Did you know that the first nuclear power plant started producing energy in 1951? Nuclear power plants have become much more common since then. This is because the government realized how much power these facilities could produce across the United States.

But what about nuclear power plants in Florida? Are they regulated? If so, how are they regulated?

What types of power plants are there in Florida? Keep reading and learn more about how nuclear power works in this state.

What You Need to Know About Nuclear Power Plants

Many people don't know much about nuclear power plants besides how they look. These energy plants are instantly recognizable with their tall towers spewing steam into the air. What's the point of using this kind of power instead of regular electrical systems?

Don't traditional energy systems produce enough energy efficiently? Not necessarily. While traditional systems can produce a lot of energy, they're nothing compared to nuclear power.

This is because nuclear power uses the energy of atoms to function. Nuclear power plants start producing energy with a process called nuclear fission. Each atom is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

When a neutron of one atom crashes into another, larger atom, nuclear fission will occur. This doesn't happen naturally because atoms are mostly empty space. It would be next to impossible for a neutron to slam into another atom because it is more likely to miss.

But the process inside a nuclear reactor makes it far more likely. This is because the atoms are in a controlled environment. When a neutron interacts with another atom, that atom will enter a very energetic state.

The atom becomes "excited." The atom will then split into two atoms due to this excitement. This is the process of nuclear fission.

A huge burst of energy gets released when this happens. Many people think that splitting an atom like this will cause a huge explosion, as with an atomic bomb. But this is not true.

How It Works

You would need thousands of atoms splitting at once to create a nuclear explosion. If you want to create high amounts of energy instead, you need far fewer atoms undergoing fission. Nuclear fission is tightly controlled in nuclear reactors.

This process occurs inside the uranium fuel that powers most of these power plants. The uranium comes in the form of small ceramic pods or pellets. These pellets are then added to long rods to keep them safe and confined.

A single uranium pellet can produce massive amounts of power. If you put 150 gallons of oil and a single uranium pellet next to each other, they would produce the same amount of energy. This extreme efficiency is why there are so many nuclear plants across the United States.

It is far more efficient than burning countless gallons of fossil fuels and polluting the atmosphere. The rods in which the uranium is held are surrounded by water. As nuclear fission occurs, heat will be produced along with energy.

This heat is enough to boil the surrounding water and create steam. The steam then powers a steam turbine inside the reactor. This turbine connects to a generator that produces energy that can be used by a city.

It is then necessary to cool the steam and reuse it in this process later. Cooling towers are often used, but are not necessary if the power plant is located next to a lake or other water source. This is how nuclear power plants provide energy to huge swaths of the United States.

Around 20% of the country's energy is produced by nuclear power plants.

Are Nuclear Power Plants in Florida Regulated?

Power plant regulation is very important for the safety of these plants and the people that live near them. Nuclear power plants are far safer and more regulated than most people expect. Many people have the wrong idea about power plants because of a couple of bad examples.

Many people think of Chernobyl or Fukushima when nuclear reactors come to mind. But the reality is that the majority of nuclear reactors are very safe. They are safer than most other energy facilities across the country.

Various safety measures and regulations are necessary to ensure the safety of these plants. Because there are so many regulations, it is next to impossible for a nuclear power plant to fail and become a danger. These power plants are, indeed, regulated in Florida.

They are also regulated in other states across the country. There are two main nuclear power reactors in Florida. One is in Turkey Point, and the other is in St. Lucie.

The Turkey Point reactor is located in the south of Florida, near Miami. The St. Lucie reactor is on Florida's east side. Each nuclear plant has two units.

These reactors are currently in operation and provide large quantities of energy to the state of Florida. There are no fuel cycle facilities in this state. There are no uranium recovery facilities in Florida, either.

There are also no operating research or test reactors in Florida. Two facilities are currently getting decommissioned. The first is the Crystal River Unit 3 reactor.

The other is the Iluka Resources facility.

The Details

The two active facilities at Turkey Point and St. Lucie get regulated very well. Each of these facilities has full-time inspectors that monitor the well-being of these reactors.

This ensures that every process is always monitored and checked. This reduces the risk that anything will go wrong. These inspectors are very watchful and have access to any part of the facility at any part of the day.

These inspectors review the activities that happen every day. They also interact with the other workers around the plant and ensure that they're doing what they're supposed to. They also conduct inspections of different parts of the reactors throughout the year.

Most of these inspections are scheduled. But inspectors may also sometimes show up and conduct surprise inspections. This ensures that the reactors are always functioning as they should at any point.

Nuclear reactors have to comply with NRC regulations. These facilities also need to satisfy certain safety standards. If a facility deviates from these standards in any way, there could be serious consequences.

Some teams monitor the reactors overnight. This makes sure that nothing bad happens during the night. The nuclear reactors in Florida are highly regulated overall.

This ensures that these reactors are safe to use for many years to come. They can also provide countless quantities of energy to the people who live in the state.

Are Nuclear Power Plants a Good Idea?

Many people are unsure about nuclear power plants. Many people have the wrong idea about them and believe that they are unsafe. Many believe that only traditional methods of energy production should get used.

But the reality is that nuclear power plants are great for providing energy across the United States. Energy demands across the country are increasing. This is because the population keeps growing and more people need energy to live normal lives.

You need energy to turn the lights on in your home.

You need energy to charge your phone, turn on your computer, run the dishwasher, and so on. Hundreds of millions of people also need energy for the same reasons.

Traditional energy facilities would have a hard time keeping up with this demand. This is because traditional means of energy production are not as efficient as nuclear energy. From fossil fuel sources to renewable sources like wind turbines and solar, all of them are less efficient than nuclear power.

This is why there are so many nuclear power plants across the country. Many people think that these power plants are like bombs ready to go off. But this is not true.

Nuclear power plants are some of the safest facilities you'll ever come across. This is because they have to be safe to handle uranium and other radioactive materials. Their inspectors and workers are extremely dedicated to making sure that the reactors stay safe.

This ensures that the reactors can keep producing energy for millions of people across the country. These plants can also produce massive amounts of energy without polluting the atmosphere like fossil fuels do.

All About Nuclear Power Plants in Florida

Nuclear power plants in Florida are highly regulated to guarantee the safety of these facilities. There are two main power plants in Florida. One is in Turkey Point, while the other is in St. Lucie.