What consequence measures are being estimated?
This study assesses the health effects of a potential radiation release to the general public. State-of-the-art analytical models estimate the individual risks of prompt fatality and latent cancer fatality that could occur in the highly unlikely event of a severe reactor accident. Prompt fatalities are those resulting from exposure to very high doses of radiation as the result of a release. These fatalities occur days to months after exposure. By contrast, latent cancer fatalities are those resulting from the long-term effect of radiation exposure. Unlike some past studies (which used generic assumptions), the estimates of public health effects in this new study realistically account for the emergency planning measures in place at each reactor site.
