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2h ago

National Study Finds Higher Cancer Mortality in U.S. Counties Closer to Nuclear Plants

Authors urge follow-up research due to model limitations, including no direct radiation measurements.

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in San Luis Obispo, Calif
Newport, Michigan, USA: Enrico Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant located on the shores of Lake Erie. (Credit: Matthew G Eddy on Shutterstock)

Overview

  • A Harvard T.H. Chan School–led analysis covered every U.S. county and all operational nuclear plants from 2000 to 2018 using a continuous-proximity model.
  • Researchers estimated about 115,000 cancer deaths—roughly 6,400 per year—during the study period were attributable to proximity to nuclear power plants.
  • The association held after adjustments for education, income, racial composition, temperature and humidity, smoking, BMI, and access to hospitals.
  • The link was strongest among older adults, according to the Nature Communications paper published February 23, 2026.
  • The study does not establish causality and assumed equal impact from all plants, leading the team to call for targeted measurements and further investigation.