IELTS Writing Task 2 – Band 8.0 Sample

As governments race to cut carbon emissions, there is fierce disagreement over whether nuclear power has a place in a clean energy future. In my opinion, renewables should receive the lion's share of investment, but nuclear energy still has a limited role to play.

Those who favour renewables point to their falling costs and lower risks. The price of solar panels and wind turbines has plummeted over the past decade, and such projects can be built in a year or two, whereas a nuclear plant often takes more than ten years and frequently runs vastly over budget. Moreover, nuclear power carries the risk of accidents and produces radioactive waste that must be stored safely for thousands of years. The Fukushima disaster in 2011 showed how a single failure can displace entire communities, and public anxiety after such events often makes new plants politically difficult to approve.

On the other hand, supporters of nuclear energy stress that sunshine and wind are intermittent. A modern economy needs electricity at night and during calm weather, and large-scale battery storage remains expensive. Nuclear plants therefore provide a stable, low-carbon supply that can complement renewables rather than compete with them. France, which generates around two thirds of its electricity from nuclear reactors, has one of the cleanest power grids in Europe. This reliable baseload has allowed the country to keep emissions from electricity generation far below those of neighbours that still rely heavily on coal and gas.

In conclusion, although nuclear power is costly and slow to build, dismissing it altogether would be a mistake. I believe the wisest strategy is to prioritise solar and wind energy while retaining a modest nuclear capacity to guarantee a reliable supply during the transition.