For decades, nuclear power has been considered a major component in the energy supply plans of some countries and an important option for the future in others. Like other energy sources, especially oil, nuclear power has become linked to national security and economic health in many countries; the magnitude of fuel reserves and the assurance of supply have become issues of intense international concern. However, nuclear power raises an additional issue: its potential for contributing to the acquisition of nuclear weapons by nations or even by terrorist groups. The goals of adequate energy supply and nuclear‐weapons nonproliferation are therefore potentially in conflict.

Topics
Energy production, transmission and distribution, Nuclear energy, Nuclear weapons
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© 1978 American Institute of Physics.
1978
American Institute of Physics
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