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Nuclear energy is a carbon-free and extremely energy dense resource that produces no air pollution. Nuclear reactions produce large amounts of energy in the form of heat. That heat can be used to power a steam turbine and generate electricity. There are two types of nuclear reactions:

Nuclear fission occurs when a large atom is split into smaller atoms, producing lots of heat and long-lived radioactive waste. See our Nuclear Fission page for more information.Nuclear fusion occurs when two nuclei combine to form a single nucleus, releasing massive amounts of heat with no long-lived radioactive waste (the sun is a nuclear fusion reactor). See our Nuclear Fusion page for more information.

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