The Chernobyl accident

When talking about the Chernobyl accident, it is important to keep in mind, from the beginning, that such an accident could not happen at a U.S. nuclear power plant. Our country’s nuclear plants are designed differently. Also, our commercial reactors are housed in a massive, reinforced concrete containment building, which prevents harmful radiation from escaping in case of an accident. And reactor operators undergo frequent training to ensure safety. So, the Chernobyl accident doesn’t mean that nuclear energy isn’t safe. The U.S. nuclear energy industry has an unparalleled safety record.

The Chernobyl accident was caused by reactor operators conducting an unauthorized procedure on a nuclear power plant whose design was flawed to begin with. The accident, which occurred in April 1986, contaminated large areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia as well as parts of Western Europe. Several hundred thousand people were forced to relocate.

Regarding health effects, the Chernobyl accident caused an increase in the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer, and resulted in the death of three children. Of the many scientific studies conducted over the years, no study to date has shown an increase in leukemia or solid cancers that can be caused by radiation. In a letter of June 6, 2000, the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) said that, apart from "a sharp increase in childhood thyroid cancer" fourteen years later, "there is no scientific evidence of increases in overall cancer incidence or mortality, or in non-malignant disorders that could be associated with radiation exposure."

For more information on the Chernobyl accident, see the fact sheet, The Chernobyl Accident and its Consequences. Another site with information on the accident is The Virtual Nuclear Tourist. Scroll down through the table of contents until you get to Significant Nuclear Power Plant Events. Click on Chernobyl; it contains a number of very useful links and information sources.

Nuclear Energy Institute—Washington, DC
August 2000