A growing number of nations are gaining the tools and abilities to utilize nuclear power. Should we concerned about the possibility of those tools being used for nuclear war?
Yes, nuclear energy contributes to the creation of nuclear weapons
Enhancing uranium and creating the right plutonium can lead to a state having the capabilities to create nuclear weapons.
Rapid and prolonged enrichment of uranium can lead to weapons-grade uranium
Enriching U-238 to create U-235 can aid in the creation of nuclear energy. However, enriching uranium can also lead to the creation of something much more dangerous—explosive, highly volatile weapons-grade uranium.
Pu-239 is incredibly easy to create from uranium used in nuclear power. Weapons-grade plutonium can be created from spent uranium in almost any country that has the capabilities for nuclear power.
No, nuclear energy does not contribute to the creation of nuclear weapons
Nuclear weapons are incredibly difficult to make. The engineering needed to make nuclear weapons, combined with heavy regulation of nuclear material by oversight committees and other countries makes the proliferation of nuclear weapons extremely unlikely.
Nuclear weapons are difficult to manufacture
Even if a country can enrich uranium to a high enough level to be used in a nuclear weapon, and even if they can separate the plutonium from the spent nuclear waste, there are still several barriers to creating a nuclear bomb.
Oversight committees and treaties prevent countries from creating nuclear weapons
International oversight agencies like the International Atomic Energy Agency and treaties like The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons keep companies from developing nuclear weapons—even if they have the means to do so.
