To Nuke... Or Not to Nuke?

     The country awaits the decision apprehensively. People are gathering all around, talking amongst themselves, conversations hushed, yet each one knows what the other is talking about. Reporters all over the country are holding special coverages of what is about to take place - and all over the country, people are asking each other the same question --

     "Will the President allow the operation of the BNPP?"

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

     It is the year 2012. The President sits in her office, contemplating a very crucial decision. These are the thoughts that run through her mind - 

     "Never did I think I'd have to make a decision like this. Of course, it wouldn't have to be made, if not for the power crisis. It hit the country hard, to be honest -- harder than any power crisis in the past years. And where better to get power than from the BNPP? It's been standing for 28 years, and yet it's been mothballed for all that time! Isn't it a pity? Nuclear power is very cost-efficient and eco-friendly. It doesn't give off carbon dioxide or any other harmful substances to the environment. It's also very reliable as an energy source, and super effective! With one nod from me, I can finally make it operational... as the saying goes, why buy a car and not use it?

     But of course, there is a catch to this. Like all things, there are pros and cons. Do you know how big a risk we are taking if we power up the BNPP? VERY BIG! The BNPP is close to beaches, meaning many marine animals and plant life will be affected, should an accident at the power plant occur. Let's not forget, the power plant is only an 8-minute drive to.... *gasp* The PCC! All the poor marine turtles I saved would disappear, if one thing from the plant malfunctions or goes wrong. And though the chances of that happening are slim, the effect would be very, very bad.

     You know who else would be severely affected by a meltdown? Us humans - and we'd probably be the ones most affected by this!  Lives would be lost, and mutations and defects would take place due to the radiation. Furthermore, a large area of Bataan province will be inhabitable for  many years.

     Another problem the country will face will be the handling of nuclear wastes. Even if a nuclear meltdown were not to occur, what would the country do with the waste? Nations that use nuclear power like the USA have been met with the same problem, and have yet to find a solution to it. They keep the waste in storage, unsure of what they would do with it. May I also mention the reason why the BNPP was mothballed in the first place? Officials found nearly 3,000 minor defects in the system!

     See? Along with the pros, there are many cons that go along with making the BNPP operational; therefore, I counter my own question with yet another - "Why buy a car, if we do not know if it works well?

     Still, I have to make a decision, and make it quickly. The entire country is at a standstill, awaiting my signal to power it up. To operate, or not to operate? That is the question - at least, for today it is. The thought wraps around my mind, the pros and the cons... we have so much to gain, though also much to lose...

     But we need the energy! The power! And as the leader of this country, I am supposed to solve these problems, attend to my people's needs...and attend I shall.

     The BNPP will be operational! The power crisis will be solved! Yes, there are cons to this, and the risks are severe... but these are outweighed by what we will gain! What the BNPP promises! And as the President of this country, I have to think of the welfare of the nation and its citizens as a whole."

Use the BNPP!