Radiation Exposures Due to Coal-Fired Power Stations in India

Abstract

Coal contains naturally occurring radionuclides arising from the uranium and thorium series and also 40K. Coal burning is, therefore, one of the sources of technologically enhanced exposure of man from natural radionuclides. Emissions from thermal power stations in gaseous and particulate form contain radioisotopes, which are discharged to the environment causing radiation exposures to the population. This paper gives the results of the measurements carried out for estimating the natural radioactivity discharge to the atmosphere from twenty-nine thermal power stations operating in India, having about 10,000 MW(e) installed capacity. This study accounted for about 60% of thermal power stations installed capacity during the period 1976-1983. Radiation doses to the population residing within 88.5 km radius of each thermal power stations have been estimated. Operation of these 29 thermal power stations has resulted in collective effective dose equivalent commitments from doses to bones, lungs and thyroid of 206 man.Sv.y-1 and from doses to the whole body, of 73 man.Sv.y-1. These doses correspond to a probability of 3 excess cancer deaths per year in a population of 206 million on the basis of the criteria used for risk estimation in radiation protection.