Radioactive Releases from Nuclear Power Plants During Normal Operation - The Risks of Nuclear Energy Technology - page 93

4.7.2 Occupational Radiation Exposure of Workers
in Nuclear Power Plants

The average occupational exposure of 30,238 workers in nuclear power plants
(PWRs and BWRs) was 0.5 mSv/year in Germany in 2009. This must be compared
to the admissable exposure limit of 20 mSv/year of Sect. 4.6.3 . This 0.5 mSv/year
average radiation exposure is much lower than the occupational exposure of
2.4 mSv/year of aircraft personnel (Sect. 4.4.6 )[ 12 , 13 ].

4.7.3 Radiation Exposures Caused by Radioactive Emission
from Light Water Reactors

Based on the radioactive effluents presented in the previous section the radiation
exposure of the public will be discussed for two countries: Germany and the USA.

4.7.3.1 Radioactive Exposure from PWRs and BWRs in Germany

In calculating radiation exposures in Germany [ 12 ] it is assumed that gaseous
effluents are released into the environment from a stack of 100 m height. Moreover,
liquid effluents are introduced into the cooling water of a nuclear power plant and
further diluted in the main canal with a water flow of 250 m 3 /s. Taking into account
statistical data about the weather conditions and following the different exposure
pathways, it is possible to determine the radiation exposure in the specific environ-
ment of a plant. The exposure results in Fig. 4.3 were obtained on the basis of
German rules and regulations. In this respect, it is assumed conservatively that a
person stays in the same place throughout the year and ingests both drinking water
and food from the immediate environment. Figure 4.3 presents the exposure data of
German PWRs and BWRs for gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents [ 12 ].
For PWRs the annual effective dose is well below 1 Sv. For BWRs—due to the

fact that the steam produced in the reactor core goes directly to the steam turbine—
the effective annual dose is somewhat higher in case of airborne radioactive
effluents. However, it is still more than a factor 1,000 lower on a GW(e)/year
basis than the permissible limit of 1 mSv/year given in Sect. 4.6.2 . If several plants
operate at one site with several GW(e) power output the radiation exposure is
higher accordingly.

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