Radiation from Nuclear Power Plants

Why are so many people afraid of nuclear power? Probably because of radiation. While nuclear power plants pose the threat of radiation exposure, so do many other parts of our environment. Radiation is a natural part of the environment.

Radiation is measured in units called millirems. Take this interactive online quiz to see how many millirems of radiation you may be exposed to in your everyday life. From the quiz, you should see that many things contribute to our annual radiation exposure, and nuclear power plants are a very small fraction of it. Scientists estimate that most of us are exposed to about 350 millirems per year, and that exposure to one millirem takes about two minutes from your life expectancy. So if you live to be 80 years old, an annual exposure of 350 millirems may take about 38 days off your life.

Which of the following can expose you to radiation: the food you eat, medical procedures, the house you live in, a nuclear power plant?

All of these can expose you to radiation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sets guidelines for the nuclear industry’s safety.  Containment structures, strict safety regulations, and legislative guidelines on how nuclear power plants are handled prevent serious threats of radiation to the environment during normal operations. Thus, the risk of exposure to radiation from a nuclear power plant in the U.S., and most other parts of the world is extremely low.