Did you know that only fifty people have died as a result of disasters linked to nuclear power plants? That's more than the number of people who die every hour in car accidents worldwide. Just because people die from driving doesn't mean we should. So why not have nuclear power plants when only a small number of people have died from them. The problem is that people over-exaggerate the negative aspects of nuclear power and use it to fuel public fear of nuclear power. For these reasons and many others, I support nuclear power as an energy source. First, nuclear power has proven to be the most economical source of energy. 15.5 grams of uranium can produce as much energy as 1,400 tons of coal. Using nuclear power would also reduce the cost of gas, because there would not be a need to have as many power plants running on oil, so the demand for oil would not be as high. And finally, with nuclear power, we would not need to continually replace fuel, because one rod of enriched uranium can last up to fifty years. Second, nuclear energy is one of the safest forms of energy. For starters, more people die each year in accidents related to coal mining and oil drilling than the number of people who die in nuclear power plants. Then, for radiation exposure, the nuclear industry contributes well less than 1 percent of the average person's exposure. The remainder of radiation exposure comes from x-rays, medical waste, radiation naturally emitted from rocks, and many other sources. When it comes to transporting the material to and from sight, the containers the material is shipped in undergo rigorous testing, such as their ability to survive a 2,000 foot drop onto a concrete surface and survive 30 minutes in a 1,475 degree fire. So, from a safety perspective, the nuclear power industry is one of the safest. Finally, nuclear energy is one of the cleanest energy sources. Power plants that burn coal pollute the air and cause acid rain. Factories that burn oil force us to use large ships that sometimes spill oil. Nuclear energy, on the other hand, does not release any pollutants and, during the transport of radioactive materials, there have been no accidents resulting in the release of radiation into the air..