Elon Musk: Can build “safer” nuclear power plants

Published:

24 July 2021 00:07 GMT

The American businessman rejects the idea of ​​building fusion reactors, in which energy is collected from a mixture of atoms, not separated.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, spoke in support of the development of nuclear power. According to the American businessman, modern technologies make it possible to build safe nuclear power plants, and public prejudice should not be an obstacle to growth in this area.

The millionaire discussed the issue during the B-Word crypto innovation conference this week. CNBC.

“I believe modern nuclear power plants are safe, contrary to what people think,” CNBC was quoted as saying. “I hope we can build more secure nuclear power plants.”

He even rejected the idea of ​​building fusion reactors Collect energy from connecting atoms and do not separate them. For many, fusion energy has the potential to become the ultimate form of renewable energy because it poses no inherent risk for nuclear fusion.

“I’m talking about the split,” the businessman said. “You don’t need fusion. You have that big fusion furnace in the sky called the sun. It shows up every day.”

Fusion is the reaction to fission, i.e. the process used in conventional nuclear reactors for its part. Through a fission reaction, a neutron collides with a larger atom, splitting it into two smaller atoms and releasing energy.

“The best way to generate energy”

Although he did not elaborate on how to make nuclear power plants “more secure”, the Tesla boss has publicly supported the use of that energy for years.

“We need to build more nuclear power plants“The millionaire said in a 2007 interview PPS. “I think this is a better way to generate energy than a coal-fired or natural gas-fired power plant.”