Nuclear Power Plants

Radiation Facts

Nuclear reactors create about 20% of the power in the United States.
The United States generates more nuclear power (in gigawatt hours) than any other nation.
Nuclear power plants must follow strict safety guidelines for the protection of workers and the surrounding public.

Nuclear power plants produce electricity from the heat created when atoms are split within a nuclear reactor. This process is called fission.

On this page:

About Nuclear Power Plants
What you can do
Where to learn more

About Nuclear Power Plants

Nuclear reactors generate about 20% of all of the electricity used in the United States. Uranium is the fuel most widely used in nuclear reactors at power plants.

Nuclear energy is created when uranium atoms are split in a process called fission. Fission releases a tremendous amount of energy in the form of heat. This heat creates steam that is used to turn a steam turbine. The turbine is connected to an electric generator, which generates electricity.

nuclear power plant image — Image of two nuclear reactors at the TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant located in Rhea County, TN.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Radioactive materials found at nuclear power plants include enriched uranium fuel, low-level waste, and spent nuclear fuel.

Enriched uranium is the fuel for nuclear power plants. One pellet of enriched uranium is approximately 1-inch long and can generate about the same amount of electricity as one ton of coal.
Low-level radioactive waste includes items used at the power plant that become contaminated with radioactive material during energy production. This may include items such as shoe covers and clothing, wiping rags, mops, filters, reactor water, and tools. Low-level waste is stored at the nuclear power plant temporarily. After some time, wastes may be sent to a low-level waste disposal site. Or, when items are no longer radioactive they may be disposed of as ordinary trash.
High-level radioactive waste includes spent (used) reactor fuel and wastes remaining after the spent fuel is reprocessed. Spent nuclear fuel is highly radioactive and stored in specially designed pools or containers. There are no high-level waste sites designed for permanent, long-term storage in the United States. High-level radioactive waste must be stored on-site at each individual nuclear power plant, currently in units called dry cask storage units.

nuclear power plant dry cask — Image of Dry Cask Storage of Spent Fuel
Source: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Public safety is a high priority when nuclear power plants are built and operated. During normal operation, nuclear power plants release very low amounts of radioactive materials into the air. Releases from nuclear power plants must be less than federally defined limits for radioactive air emissions. These releases must be monitored by the nuclear power plant operator and reported annually to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). These publicly available reports list the radioactive isotopes released, how much was released and any possible dose to the public.

Reactor buildings are designed to contain radiation in the case of an accident. Nuclear power plant operators are required to have plans to deal with emergencies at nuclear power plants and to practice them regularly. These emergency response plans include policies for notifying and evacuating area residents should there be an actual emergency.

What You Can Do

Review emergency response plans. If you live within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant, learn about its emergency response plan.
Follow emergency instructions. In the case of an accident at a nuclear power plant, listen to the radio or television for information and follow instructions from local emergency responders and government officials.

Where to Learn More

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The NRC regulates and oversees the civilian uses of nuclear materials in the United States by licensing facilities that possess, use, or dispose of nuclear materials; establishing standards; and inspecting licensed facilities. This includes nuclear power plants. The NRC is responsible for implementing the EPA established standards at the facilities they oversee.

Most states have signed formal agreements with the NRC, providing the states regulatory responsibility over small quantities of special nuclear material. These states are known as Agreement States. The radioactive materials license can be issued either by the NRC or an Agreement State.

The NRC Agreement State Program
This webpage provides information about the NRC Agreement State program and lists links to additional information.

How the NRC Protects You
This webpage provides information about how the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulates and inspects sites where radioactive materials are used.

Nuclear Reactors
This webpage contains links to information about the NRC’s role in the nuclear power industry.

Student’s Corner: Nuclear Energy
This webpage provides information for students about nuclear energy, radiation emergencies, radioactive waste and more.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA uses its authority from the Clean Air Act to set limits on the amount of radioactive material released into the air from nuclear power plants. Under the Atomic Energy Act, the EPA sets environmental standards for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level wastes.

Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Nuclear Power Operations (40 CFR Part 190)

This webpage provides information on the EPA’s environmental radiation protection standards for nuclear power operations, including a summary of the rule, rule history, and a link to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for this rule.

Radiation: Facts, Risks and Realities
In this booklet, you can read about radiation and its health risks. You can learn about natural radiation and radioactive material used in medicine and nuclear power.

Overview of the Clean Air Act and Air Pollution
This webpage provides information about the Clean Air Act and how air is monitored to help protect the public.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA evaluates state and local emergency response plans for areas around nuclear power plants.

Nuclear Power Plant Emergencies
This webpage provides information on nuclear power plants and potential nuclear emergencies.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

The DOE has oversight responsibilities related to the advancement of domestic nuclear energy production and the management of radioactive waste produced as a byproduct of energy production.

The Office of Nuclear Energy’s primary mission is advance nuclear power as a resource capable of making major contributions in meeting the nation’s energy supply, environmental, and energy security needs.

The EIA, a branch of the DOE, collects, analyzes, and releases information about different energy sources. They have a role in educating the public about energy.

Nuclear Energy Sources
This webpage provides a background information about nuclear power as an energy source used in the United States. Links are provided to learn more about reactor technologies and nuclear facilities.

Nuclear & Uranium
This webpage provides links to information and data about how much electricity nuclear power plants in the United States generate.

Energy Kids
This webpage provides information on how uranium is used to produce electricity in nuclear power plants.

The States

Each nuclear power plant must have an emergency response plan for incidents that occur on-site. State and local authorities have emergency response plans for incidents that could release radiological material outside the plant property. These emergency response plans are designed to work together. State and local authorities practice their emergency plans every two years at every commercial nuclear power plant.

State Radiation Protection Programs
This webpage provides links and contact information for each state's Radiation Control Program office.