Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

National Study Links Living Near Nuclear Plants to Higher Cancer Mortality

The peer-reviewed analysis reports an association without establishing causation.

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)
Image
Image

Overview

  • Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers published the findings on February 23, 2026 in Nature Communications.
  • The team analyzed U.S. county cancer mortality from 2000 to 2018 against continuous proximity to operational nuclear power plants, incorporating nearby Canadian facilities.
  • Researchers estimated about 115,000 cancer deaths nationwide during the study period—roughly 6,400 per year—were associated with closer proximity to plants.
  • The association persisted after adjusting for education, income, racial composition, climate variables, smoking, BMI, and access to hospitals, and it was strongest among older adults.
  • Authors note key limitations, including no direct radiation measurements and an equal-impact assumption across plants, and they call for further targeted research.