How far away from nuclear power plants should you live? (2015, tornado)

[gottaq]

There are articles saying that it is dangerous to live within 50 miles of nuclear power plants. How true do you think this is? And is there increased risk of cancer living near nuclear power plants? I'm interested in moving to a town that is 10 miles from the nuclear power plant in Indian Point, NY. Please let me know your thoughts on this and if it could be a health hazard. Thanks!

[North Beach Person]

At 10 miles you're likely in the mandatory warning zone so that's a consideration.

Where did you see 50 miles that wasn't in an anti-nuclear publication.

As a note, I'm 20 miles or so from one and don't give it a thought.

But then again you have to worry about radiation from your SmartMeter.

[southwest88]

Originally Posted by gottaq

There are articles saying that it is dangerous to live within 50 miles of nuclear power plants. How true do you think this is? And is there increased risk of cancer living near nuclear power plants? I'm interested in moving to a town that is 10 miles from the nuclear power plant in Indian Point, NY. Please let me know your thoughts on this and if it could be a health hazard. Thanks!

You'd want to be upwind of the power plant. Check to see where your intended housing is, check the prevailing winds for most of the year. In NY, I'd expect most of the power is generated during air conditioning season, but you should be able to find charts of maximum & minimum output (important to figure out when the most radiation is heating the working fluid), & so where would be upwind @ that time of year.


Offhand, I'd want a couple of different ways to get to a state road or freeway - which you should also follow upwind from the plant, if you have a choice. If there's a real emergency @ the power plant, local roads will likely be shut, or access controlled. You might check with local Emergency Management - to see if they have an evacuation plan, if it's been exercised lately, what they recommend you pack in your car or garage, ready to go (meds, clothing, water, some food, blankets, camping supplies, small medical kit, flashlight). Are the civilian routes to follow in the event of an emergency marked? How are they marked? You'll probably want to drive the routes, keep a map in the car, drive them @ night, in rain, etc.


Car - You'd probably want a 4-wheel drive, off-road capable car - a Jeep or similar. High ground clearance, & you can switch in & out of 4-wheel drive on the fly, from the driver's seat (you don't want to have to get out & fiddle with locking the hubs, etc. in the middle of an emergency). Keep snow chains in the car - if the roads are clogged or traffic snarls, you might have to go cross-country, or through snow/ice.

You'll also want to be upstream of the water the plant uses to cool the reactor. If there's a serious problem @ the plant - you don't want to be downstream.


There's iodine tablets (I think it is) that are recommended for possible radioactive exposure. You can check a survival guide - @ the library - for details. I think it's to protect the thyroid glands.


I'm not sure about danger of radioactive exposure in the normal course of living near a nuke power plant. They don't emit radioactivity normally - but that's why you want to be upwind & upstream, if things go very wrong. Best of luck. Check with your public library, they may have copies of the evacuation plan, routes, signals to evacuate, they may run tornado sirens.


You can check online for the power plant's website, the local newspaper website, local Emergency Preparedness, Hazmat team (probably a county entity). There are lots of sources to check.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by gottaq

There are articles saying that it is dangerous to live within 50 miles of nuclear power plants. How true do you think this is? And is there increased risk of cancer living near nuclear power plants? I'm interested in moving to a town that is 10 miles from the nuclear power plant in Indian Point, NY. Please let me know your thoughts on this and if it could be a health hazard. Thanks!

If you are going to worry about it, then you don't need to live near one. I worked in a nuclear plant for 12 years and lived 15 miles down river from it.I never worried about it and I have made it to a fairly old age with no problems other than typical old age problems.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Southern man

If you are going to worry about it, then you don't need to live near one. I worked in a nuclear plant for 12 years and lived 15 miles down river from it.I never worried about it and I have made it to a fairly old age with no problems other than typical old age problems.

This. Nuclear power is remarkably safe in this country. You have a much MUCH higher risk of being struck by lightning -- so why not find a place to live where there is no lightning?

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by Southern man

If you are going to worry about it, then you don't need to live near one. I worked in a nuclear plant for 12 years and lived 15 miles down river from it.I never worried about it and I have made it to a fairly old age with no problems other than typical old age problems.

Check out this article, as it's relevant to the thread:

Professor recalls role in discovery of radon - The Morning Call

[Mattks]

Originally Posted by gottaq

There are articles saying that it is dangerous to live within 50 miles of nuclear power plants. How true do you think this is? And is there increased risk of cancer living near nuclear power plants? I'm interested in moving to a town that is 10 miles from the nuclear power plant in Indian Point, NY. Please let me know your thoughts on this and if it could be a health hazard. Thanks!

I live about 50 miles from a Nuclear Power plant and give it no thought at all. I wouldn't consider it a health hazard at even 10 miles. My brother's wife's parents can see the nuclear plant from their house, and they seem okay.


Buy a Geiger counter if you are truly worried. You can get a decent one for around $100.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by Mattks

I live about 50 miles from a Nuclear Power plant and give it no thought at all. I wouldn't consider it a health hazard at even 10 miles. My brother's wife's parents can see the nuclear plant from their house, and they seem okay.


Buy a Geiger counter if you are truly worried. You can get a decent one for around $100.

Or better yet ... Live off the grid ... WAY WAY off the grid, if you're really so naive as to be worried about nuclear power plants.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

Check out this article, as it's relevant to the thread:

Professor recalls role in discovery of radon - The Morning Call

Along the same line of thought, I once visited Hot Springs, Ark. At the springs there was a radiation warning sign(radon) posted. Senior citizens were lined up with gallon jugs waiting to fill them with the HOT water. If I had tried to take this water into the nuclear plant I worked at, I wouldn't have gotten in.

[nei]

Over the normal course of a nuclear power plant, I'd rather be near a nuclear power plant than a coal power plant.