# Is Nuclear Power Safe?: 33 Sourced Claims, Contested Facts & Evidence Claims for and against nuclear safety, from accidents to climate tradeoffs. Authors: nineDan HTML: https://moyomap.com/maps/nuclear-power-safe Markdown: https://moyomap.com/maps/nuclear-power-safe.md License: HTML and markdown are for reading and citation. Bulk copying and AI training need a written license. See /terms and /developers#maps-data. Cite a claim as: MoyoMap, "Is Nuclear Power Safe?: 33 Sourced Claims, Contested Facts & Evidence", claim {id}, https://moyomap.com/maps/nuclear-power-safe.md#{id}. “Moyo, a product of SenTeGuard Inc.” ### Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident details Id: section_19de5be0d2b8b21801cf1d18 Parent: topic_Du3IYdn6Q2DiHDf1YRfi Depth: 1 Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident details Labels: Inferred, Low ### Three Mile Island Unit 2 and TMI-1 subsequent events Id: section_1f16a66235181a71cde4a65a Parent: topic_Du3IYdn6Q2DiHDf1YRfi Depth: 1 Three Mile Island Unit 2 and TMI-1 subsequent events Labels: Inferred, Low ### Chernobyl Unit 4 accident details Id: section_4bbc9332f79197be93f210fd Parent: topic_Du3IYdn6Q2DiHDf1YRfi Depth: 1 Chernobyl Unit 4 accident details Labels: Inferred, Low ### Energy source death rates Id: section_9668a4f1dff93a40eaf360b6 Parent: topic_Du3IYdn6Q2DiHDf1YRfi Depth: 1 Energy source death rates Labels: Inferred, Low #### The undamaged sister unit, TMI-1, operated until 2019. Id: claim_02fb189234c53b7c3bf42dcd Parent: section_1f16a66235181a71cde4a65a Depth: 2 The undamaged sister unit, TMI-1, operated until 2019. Labels: Source-linked, Low, known #### Our World in Data's comparison, based on Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) and Sovacool et al. Id: claim_6978e82ddfec42d661760524 Parent: section_9668a4f1dff93a40eaf360b6 Depth: 2 Our World in Data's comparison, based on Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) and Sovacool et al. (2016), estimates nuclear power at approximately 0.03 deaths per terawatt-hour. Labels: Source-linked, Medium, known #### Brown coal (lignite) is estimated to cause approximately 24.6 deaths per terawatt-hour, according to Our Worl… Id: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Parent: section_9668a4f1dff93a40eaf360b6 Depth: 2 Brown coal (lignite) is estimated to cause approximately 24.6 deaths per terawatt-hour, according to Our World in Data's comparison. Labels: Inferred, Medium, known #### Nuclear power deaths are concentrated, visible, and attributable to specific named events, unlike fossil fuel… Id: claim_cffb287e940f54132ce5b5fe Parent: section_19de5be0d2b8b21801cf1d18 Depth: 2 Nuclear power deaths are concentrated, visible, and attributable to specific named events, unlike fossil fuel deaths which are diffuse and statistical. Labels: Inferred, Medium, known #### The Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident occurred on March 28, 1979, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Id: claim_d379a07d0809979dfb82a5f7 Parent: section_19de5be0d2b8b21801cf1d18 Depth: 2 The Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident occurred on March 28, 1979, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Labels: Inferred, Low, known #### The Chernobyl Unit 4 accident occurred on April 26, 1986, in the Ukrainian SSR. Id: claim_d611984e4bd6b814e905a96f Parent: section_4bbc9332f79197be93f210fd Depth: 2 The Chernobyl Unit 4 accident occurred on April 26, 1986, in the Ukrainian SSR. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ##### The cleanup of Three Mile Island Unit 2 lasted approximately 14 years and cost about $1 billion. Id: claim_1033d2ba1aad23a399c2946c Parent: claim_d379a07d0809979dfb82a5f7 Depth: 3 The cleanup of Three Mile Island Unit 2 lasted approximately 14 years and cost about $1 billion. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ##### Multiplying the 2007 Markandya & Wilkinson/ExternE rates by 2021 global electricity output undercounts total… Id: claim_29e711926c630c547bb8829f Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Multiplying the 2007 Markandya & Wilkinson/ExternE rates by 2021 global electricity output undercounts total fossil electricity deaths relative to newer sector-attributable estimates. Labels: Inferred, Medium ##### The figures for brown coal/lignite and hard coal death rates derive from Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) in The… Id: claim_2b05b53996aac68003670151 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 The figures for brown coal/lignite and hard coal death rates derive from Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) in The Lancet, specifically Table 2, which is based on the EU ExternE project for European fuel cycles. Labels: Source-linked, Medium ##### Global average death rates for coal could be 4–9 times higher (~93–224 deaths/TWh) than the Markandya & Wilki… Id: claim_3431e354285bf260c1104f26 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Global average death rates for coal could be 4–9 times higher (~93–224 deaths/TWh) than the Markandya & Wilkinson/ExternE figures, based on more recent research such as Lelieveld et al. which estimates far higher fossil-fuel air-pollution mortality. Labels: Inferred, High ##### There were no deaths or detectable health effects from the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident. Id: claim_50fcbf7d33eafee49f77b8ed Parent: claim_d379a07d0809979dfb82a5f7 Depth: 3 There were no deaths or detectable health effects from the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident. Labels: Inferred, Medium, known ##### Accident fatalities are a minor component (~0.12 deaths/TWh combined public + occupational for both lignite a… Id: claim_54b120d4a9e51f8faeee95ce Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Accident fatalities are a minor component (~0.12 deaths/TWh combined public + occupational for both lignite and coal in the 2007 table) of the death rate for lignite and coal. Labels: Inferred, Medium ##### The Kemeny Commission, chaired by Dartmouth College president John Kemeny, reported in October 1979 that the… Id: claim_77411d18120ef5c27a0363fc Parent: claim_d379a07d0809979dfb82a5f7 Depth: 3 The Kemeny Commission, chaired by Dartmouth College president John Kemeny, reported in October 1979 that the fundamental problems at Three Mile Island were people, procedures, and management, not hardware. Labels: Inferred, Medium, known ##### Our World in Data (OWID) explicitly states that nuclear energy results in 99.9% fewer deaths than brown coal… Id: claim_8da41fd7549d34d6f4da53d7 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Our World in Data (OWID) explicitly states that nuclear energy results in 99.9% fewer deaths than brown coal and 99.8% fewer deaths than coal, using these rates in its safety comparisons. Labels: Source-linked, High ##### Lignite's higher per-TWh death rate compared to hard coal is largely due to its lower energy density (typical… Id: claim_a13e06659491c7a8b9aa61fd Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Lignite's higher per-TWh death rate compared to hard coal is largely due to its lower energy density (typically <16.5 MJ/kg vs. 16.5–32.5 MJ/kg for hard coal) and higher moisture/ash/sulfur content in many deposits. Labels: Inferred, High ##### The Chernobyl accident was caused by a botched turbine-coast-down safety test at low power, combined with the… Id: claim_aa232636016ad9135c88cbdb Parent: claim_d611984e4bd6b814e905a96f Depth: 3 The Chernobyl accident was caused by a botched turbine-coast-down safety test at low power, combined with the RBMK reactor's positive void coefficient and a graphite-tipped control rod design flaw. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ##### The death rate figures for nuclear power and brown coal include both accident fatalities and air-pollution mo… Id: claim_adb189b4c385645803ca1078 Parent: claim_6978e82ddfec42d661760524 Depth: 3 The death rate figures for nuclear power and brown coal include both accident fatalities and air-pollution mortality. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ##### Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) data shows lignite/brown coal causes approximately 32.6 air-pollution-related de… Id: claim_ba0ee7b683d0e4b2fae035b5 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) data shows lignite/brown coal causes approximately 32.6 air-pollution-related deaths per TWh (with a 95% CI of 8.2–130) and approximately 0.12 accident deaths (public + occupational), totaling approximately 32.72 deaths per TWh. Labels: Source-linked, High ##### In 2024, Constellation Energy announced plans to restart TMI-1 as the "Crane Clean Energy Center" under a pow… Id: claim_ba9b55098ae3887d8f50a455 Parent: claim_02fb189234c53b7c3bf42dcd Depth: 3 In 2024, Constellation Energy announced plans to restart TMI-1 as the "Crane Clean Energy Center" under a power deal with Microsoft. Labels: Source-linked, Low, investigate ##### Our World in Data (OWID) and related analyses note that the Markandya & Wilkinson/ExternE European figures ar… Id: claim_d4522c3480dd723cf01a283e Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Our World in Data (OWID) and related analyses note that the Markandya & Wilkinson/ExternE European figures are likely very conservative because they are based on state-of-the-art plants with pollution controls and older air-pollution health models. Labels: Source-linked, Medium ##### Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) data shows hard coal causes approximately 24.5 air-pollution-related deaths per… Id: claim_d9727d20365a98dd682a0971 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) data shows hard coal causes approximately 24.5 air-pollution-related deaths per TWh and approximately 0.12 accident deaths, totaling approximately 24.62 deaths per TWh. Labels: Inferred, High ##### Chronic effects account for 88–99% of deaths associated with energy production, according to Markandya & Wilk… Id: claim_e87e64c932bf708d5a717f85 Parent: claim_8d24999cfe60321d59a48afd Depth: 3 Chronic effects account for 88–99% of deaths associated with energy production, according to Markandya & Wilkinson (2007) data. Labels: Inferred, Medium ##### The Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident involved a partial meltdown of approximately half of the reactor core. Id: claim_fc73d6e1a13da00e1d54f614 Parent: claim_d379a07d0809979dfb82a5f7 Depth: 3 The Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident involved a partial meltdown of approximately half of the reactor core. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ##### The Chernobyl accident resulted in a power excursion, steam explosion, and a graphite fire that burned for ap… Id: claim_fe7939a4f6a2fde1e0bff2da Parent: claim_d611984e4bd6b814e905a96f Depth: 3 The Chernobyl accident resulted in a power excursion, steam explosion, and a graphite fire that burned for approximately 10 days. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ###### Two workers died in the explosion during the Chernobyl accident. Id: claim_52852e2ffd886c0a28c174a0 Parent: claim_fe7939a4f6a2fde1e0bff2da Depth: 4 Two workers died in the explosion during the Chernobyl accident. Labels: Inferred, Medium, known ###### The Kemeny Commission recommended abolishing and restructuring the NRC's management. Id: claim_63a7471667e32ef5ab4eda46 Parent: claim_77411d18120ef5c27a0363fc Depth: 4 The Kemeny Commission recommended abolishing and restructuring the NRC's management. Labels: Source-linked, Medium, known ###### The NRC states that the average dose to the approximately 2 million people in the Three Mile Island area was… Id: claim_cc891ca50b60d88c55602d75 Parent: claim_50fcbf7d33eafee49f77b8ed Depth: 4 The NRC states that the average dose to the approximately 2 million people in the Three Mile Island area was about 1 millirem. Labels: Source-linked, Medium, known ###### The Three Mile Island Unit 2 partial meltdown was caused by a stuck-open pilot-operated relief valve and oper… Id: claim_ed34bd84aa5a5de99ba8828c Parent: claim_fc73d6e1a13da00e1d54f614 Depth: 4 The Three Mile Island Unit 2 partial meltdown was caused by a stuck-open pilot-operated relief valve and operator misdiagnosis. Labels: Inferred, Low, known ###### The natural background radiation in the Three Mile Island area is roughly 100–125 mrem/year. Id: claim_5fc416f87660295fb9e986a2 Parent: claim_cc891ca50b60d88c55602d75 Depth: 5 The natural background radiation in the Three Mile Island area is roughly 100–125 mrem/year. Labels: Source-linked, Low, known