isolated and stored so that it cannot harm people or contaminate the environment while it decays.

Another concern about nuclear power is that the operators of the plant could lose control of the reactor. For instance, if the reactor's cooling system failed, then a meltdown might occur. During a meltdown, the core of the reactor melts and radioactive material may be released. If the structure that houses the reactor is not secure, then the environment can become contaminated. In 1986, one of the reactors at the nuclear power station in Chernobyl, Ukraine, overheated during an experiment. A partial meltdown resulted, and large amounts of radioactive material were released into the atmosphere.

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