Comparison of health impact of different methods of electricity generation in France

The authors present the principal results of a study carried out in France to compare risks associated with the operation of facilities based on the three main methods of electricity generation in current use - the coal, oil and nuclear (PWR) cycles. The comparison was made following a detailed analysis of the fuel cycles utilized in each method. Consistency in the assumptions made in defining the fuel cycles was ensured by using scenarios which take into account forecasts of electricity supply and demand in France up to 1990 (300 TW.h net). Three categories of impact are described: (1) occupational hazards (accidents at work, occupational diseases, theoretical radiological risks); (2) risks to the public evaluated on the basis of estimated data for recurring and accidental wastes and pathways to the environment; and (3) risks to the environment evaluated in terms of the amount of contaminant released. (author)