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nuclear power

nuclear power

119 3.4
Electricity made by using the energy inside atoms for homes and businesses
  • noun
  • /ˈnjuːklɪər ˈpaʊər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : energía nuclear
  • The construction of a new nuclear power plant was approved by the government to meet rising energy needs.
  • nuclear power plant
  • nuclear power station
  • nuclear power reactor

You would then need to build four or five nuclear power plants to supply that power.

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Examples

  • The nuclear power generated at this facility is used to supply electricity to the entire region.

  • You would then need to build four or five nuclear power plants to supply that power.

  • But I, I would say a new generation of nuclear power as a solution to the climate crisis.

  • This is a rare opportunity to see inside a nuclear power plant.

  • Students can learn about the number of nuclear power plants in operation and their capacity.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Germany and the Netherlands also saw nuclear power as a solution to energy supply concerns.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Indeed, the greenhouse gas problem may serve to secure the future of nuclear power in the long run.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Popular opposition to nuclear power has been present throughout Europe as long as nuclear power has existed.

    Academic text (1999)
  • And again here nuclear power could be a plausible way forward.

  • We run on coal, natural gas, nuclear power, some renewables.

Synonyms

nuclear energy
vsnuclear power
  • Specialized
27 3.7

Power made when atoms are split or joined, used for electricity and sometimes weapons

focuses on supplying electricity to the civilian grid rather than other uses
atomic energy
vsnuclear power
  • Specialized
5 3.8

Energy made when atoms split or join

is about supplying electricity to the civilian grid not just raw reaction output
atomic power
vsnuclear power
2 3.2

Energy from nuclear reactions that makes electricity for homes and cities

focuses on supplying that electricity into the civilian grid

Antonyms

Energy from natural sources that come back, like sunlight or wind

Surface Forms

nuclear power singular

Morphology

nuclear + power

The meaning is directly compositional: 'nuclear' refers to atomic/atomic-energy sources and 'power' refers to energy or electricity, so a learner who knows both words can infer 'electricity produced from nuclear energy.' This construction follows a common noun-noun compounding pattern found across languages and is therefore immediately understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Nuclear power comes from using energy stored in the tiny centre of an atom called the 'nucleus'. When those nuclei are split or joined they give off a large amount of energy that is turned into electricity, so nuclear points to the atom's centre and power means energy used to make electricity.