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Light
Millennium
http://www.lightmillennium.org
E-mail: contact@lightmillennium.org
May 4, 2006 - NYC
Why 'All Nuclear' are backed by governments
but not by private companies?
"The cleaning of the radioactive
waste costs huge amounts of money. In
order to isolete the existing nuclear
waste in USA, 300-600 billion dollars
needed to finish Yucco mountain reposotory
project."
Prof.
Hayrettin KILIÇ, May 3, 2006, Turkish
House, NYC.
From the
opening of the Safety Enviroenmental
Aspects of Nuclear Power Plants entitled
panel.
(From left to right) Prof. Hayrettin Kiliç,
Prof. Sultan Catto, Asst. Prof. Akif Kireççi,
Gokhan Gelisen, The Washington Group
May 3, 2006, Turkish
House, NYC
- Safety Enviroenmental Aspects of Nuclear
Power Plants> Media Release
Light
Millennium presented a panel for the 6th
Anniversary of the organization which
entitled "SAFETY ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS
OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS" on May 3,
2006, Wednesday at 7:00 PM, at the Turkish
House. The panel was sponsored by the
Federation of Turkish American Associations
& the Turkish House.
| The founding president of Light Millennium and the event producer
Bircan Unver opened the night with her introductory speech. She stated
that this panel was held in
conjunction with the 6th Anniversary
of the Light Millennium's dedication
theme, "Choice for Humanity."
She explained that the theme was inspired by
Mohammed ELBARADEI, the 2005-NOBEL
PEACE PRIZE Recipient. To bring a
different color to the event, Ms.
Unver read the poem titled "Strontium-90" by Nazim Hikmet in Turkish, and Ms. Sherrill
Kazan, representative of Mexican Academy of International Law to
the Department of Public Information of the United Nations, read the
same poem in English. Afterwards, Ms. Unver presented the moderator of the
panel, Asst. Prof. Akif KIRECCI who teaches at Stevens Institute of Technology,
and board member of the Light Millennium. |
 (Left
to right) Sherrill Kazan & Bircan
Ünver |
 |
Dr. Akif Kirecci gave a brief introduction about the panel subject
explaining the need arising to look for alternative renewable energy
sources all around the
world today. He stated that the panel
aimed to help the audience look further into different aspects of having
nuclear energy plants in terms of safety and environment, and the challenges
it carries politically and financially. |
|
The first speaker of the panel Gokhan GELISEN, MS, PE, who is a
senior structural engineer at Washington Group International Inc., gave
detailed information on the nuclear energy facts and figures around the
world. He stated that as of
2005, there are 443 nuclear energy
plants all around the world and 16% of electricity is nuclear sourced. This form
of energy is considered to be a good alternative to coal since it is cheaper.
He then brought to attention the condition in Turkey, giving the fact
that if no precautions are taken, Turkey will have an energy crisis in
2009. It is clear that Turkey does not want to stay behind power technology
and needs its own economic independence to make its own energy related decisions.
He stated that in order not to fall behind technology, a 50 MWe pilot
plant should be built; then it would
be more meaningful to discuss the
outcomes.
|
 Gokhan
Gelisen, Washington
Group International Inc. |
|
 Prof.
Sultan CATTO
|
The second speaker was Prof. Sultan CATTO, professor and executive
officer in the PhD Program in Physics at The Graduate Center, The City
University of New York. He gave a brief history of mechanics and explained
the equivalance between mass and energy. He explained how uranium nucleus
is converted to energy through chain reaction. He said that the pure
heat supplied through the conversion of 1 gram of mass of uranium is
equal to that of 3 tons of coal burned, or 14 barrels of oil. In this perspective,
nuclear energy can be considered as an efficient energy source.
However, there is always the chance of accidents as Chernobyl. He mentioned that
the Chernobyl disaster affected 120 thousand people and nobody
lives within the 100 square miles of the area. |
The third speaker Prof. Hayrettin KILIÇ, founder of Green
Tank of Turunc Foundation, who is also a peace activist and environmentalist,
presented the subject in a different aspect. He stated that governments are
trying to shift the focus of nuclear plants to energy from nuclear weapons.
| Nuclear energy is advertised as a cheap and safe alternative, but the reality is
not so. He explained that in order to supply 2kg. of uranium usable for nuclear
plants, 1 ton of mine is processed, and within this amount, only
14 grams is Uranium 235 which is converted to energy. To have one reactor,
44 million tones of ore is needed. That means billions of tons of
uranium should be extracted from the earth for the 430 reactors there are
currently. And after the very complicated and expensive process
of mining-milling-conversion-enrichment-fuel fabrication, there comes
out, besides energy, radioactive cooling water, gas, chemical and toxic
waste which are hazardous for human health and environment. During the
chain reaction, Plutonium 239 is produced which does not exist in nature,
a man made element dangerous for environment. On the other hand, the
cleaning of the radioactive waste
costs huge amounts of money. In
order to solete the existing nuclear
waste in USA, 300-600 billion dollars
needed to finish Yucco mountain reposotory
project. |
Prof.
Hayrettin KILIÇ |
Given all these facts, Dr. Kilic asked the audience to think about
why all nuclear plants are backed by governments but not by private companies.
After the speakers completed their presentations, there was a Q&A
session which turned into a dynamic discussion. The audience was left with
the question of is it really worth to regenerate electricity through
nuclear energy technology knowing the risks and dangers it carries.
A
Group of attendees and participants of
the panel, posed for
the Light Millennium at the Turkish House
on May 3, 2006.
* * * *
*
For More Information:
contact@lightmillennium.org
Media Release: Figen Bingul
Special Thanks to:
- Hasan OZDEMIR, Director of Turkish House & His Staff
- Atilla PAK, President, FTAA
- Arda Sayiner, Executive Director, FTAA
& Staff of the Federation
Volunteers of the event:
- Aysen Terzi
About The Light Millennium:
http://www.lightmillennium.org/about%20lm/list.html
The Light Millennium, Inc., A Charitable, under 501 (c) (3)
status,Not-For-Profit Organization based in New York. Introduced
in August 1999 on the Web, established in January 2000, and founded by Bircan
Ünver on July 17, 2001 as a Public Interest Multi-Media Global Platform
(www.lightmillennium.org; www.isikbinyili.org; www.turkishgreeksynergy.net; the Light Millennium TV Series-LMTV
& various events); that e-publish, present and broadcast ideas and experiences
freely (without any censorship, within the publishing policy of
the organization) in order to foster a global positive energy and
connection among all peoples by encouraging intellectual productivity and
communication.
*** The Light Millennium is associated with the Department of Public
Information of the United Nations effective as of December 12,
2005.
For Publishing Policy:
http://www.lightmillennium.org/lm_publishing_policy.html
Contact:
Bircan Ünver, Producer of the event
E-mail: contact@lightmillennium.org
- Safety Enviroenmental Aspects of Nuclear
Power Plants> Media Release
"YOU ARE THE SOUL OF THIS GLOBAL PLATFORM. &
WE ARE FOR THE GREATNESS IN HUMANITY."
http://www.lightmillennium.org - http://www.isikbinyili.org -
http://www.turkishgreeksynergy.net
-
Light Millennium, May 4, 2006, New York.
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