Nuclear power results in almost none of the greenhouse and acid-forming gaseous emissions associated with fossil-fuel power plants. The normal operation of a nuclear power plant does release small amounts of radiation into the environment and creates radioactive material that must be transported and stored. These materials can remain highly radioactive for thousands of years.

Fission also has a specialized use as an alternative transportation fuel. Small nuclear reactors drive the engines of some submarines and large ships, such as aircraft carriers. This is a very expensive way to travel, but the small volume of fuel needed allows these vessels to cruise for months without putting in to port.

Fusion is the other form of nuclear energy. In fusion, smaller nuclei combine to make larger nuclei. As with fission, large amounts of heat, light and other wavelengths of radiation are released when this happens. The sun combines hydrogen atoms into helium atoms by a fusion process, releasing vast amounts of energy.

Fusion of nuclei occurs on earth when atomic particles are accelerated to high speeds in a vacuum and made to strike either a fixed metal target or a beam of particles traveling in the opposite direction. Fusion is also the process used in thermonuclear (hydrogen) weapons.

Today the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a large fusion device, is being developed by Russia, the United States, Europe and Japan. The ITER is scheduled to become operational early this century. It is anticipated that the ITER will be the first fusion device to release more energy than it consumes.