The 6 most common myths about nuclear energy

"Nuclear power plants can explode like atomic bombs."

Physically impossible. A bomb requires uranium enriched to more than 90%. Power plants use uranium at 3–5% — not enough for an explosive chain reaction. Chernobyl was a steam explosion and graphite fire — not a nuclear explosion.

"Nuclear kills far more people than other energy sources."

The opposite is true. Nuclear: 0.04 deaths per TWh. Coal: 24.6. Solar: 0.02. Wind: 0.04. Nuclear results in 99.8% fewer deaths than coal per unit of energy.

"Nuclear waste has no solution."

All the high-radioactivity waste produced by power plants over the past 60 years would fit on a single football pitch. Deep geological repositories already exist — Finland operates the world's first permanent one, opened in 2025.

"Fusion and fission are the same thing."

They are opposite processes. Fission splits uranium. Fusion joins hydrogen.

"Nuclear is not clean energy."

Nuclear emits 12 g of CO₂ per kWh over its full lifecycle — comparable to wind power (11 g) and well below natural gas (490 g) or coal (820 g). The IPCC classifies nuclear as an essential low-carbon source.

"Brazil has nothing to do with nuclear."

Brazil is the only country in the Southern Hemisphere with active fusion tokamaks. It operates two fission plants (Angra 1 and 2). It holds the sixth largest uranium reserves in the world. And it masters the complete enrichment cycle — something only 8 countries can do.