Does nuclear power emit pollution to air or water?

Electricity from nuclear energy is carbon-free and does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen oxides or sulfur dioxides. It is the only clean-air source of energy that can generate large quantities of baseload generation.

Nuclear power plants generate small volumes of waste, with the solid radioactive wastes being completely isolated from the environment. In addition, nuclear power plants meet strict standards for radiation emissions in air and water. The Environmental Protection Agency and Nuclear Regulatory Commission set and enforce these standards. Radiation in the environment around nuclear power plants is continuously monitored and well below federal standards.

Is there a health risk associated with living near a nuclear plant?

There is no increased health risk associated with living near a nuclear power plant. Many studies, including one from the National Academy of Sciences in June 2005, show that there is little health risk from exposure to low-level radiation. People are exposed to radiation from a variety of sources, both natural and man-made. According to the NAS study, on average, 82 percent of a person's exposure comes from naturally occurring radiation from the earth, air and water and in our own bodies. Medical uses of radiation, including X-rays, account for the majority of man-made radiation exposure. The entire nuclear energy fuel cycle (including uranium mining, fuel fabrication, nuclear power generation and waste disposal) produces less than 1 percent of overall human exposure.

What about tritium, which has been in the news recently?

Tritium is an isotope of hydrogen that produces a very low level of radiation. It is produced naturally when cosmic rays strike air molecules in the upper atmosphere. It is most commonly found in water because, as hydrogen, it reacts with oxygen to form water. Tritium can be found at very low levels in nearly all water sources.

Tritium is a byproduct of generating electricity at nuclear power plants. All nuclear plants release tritium into both the water and air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the acceptable level of tritium concentrations in ground water and drinking water.