Assessment of the atmospheric carbon-14 caused by NPP emissions
The production of electricity at nuclear power plants with various types of reactor unit equipments was considered in the period from 1954 to 2016. According to the IAEA classification, there are 6 reactor types. For each type of reactor, an estimation of the contribution to global electricity production was made, and the average and median specific emission of C-14 into the atmosphere were calculated. On the basis of the obtained data, a conservative estimation of the contribution of C-14 to the atmosphere for all NPP in the world since 1954 was made. The obtained results showed that the contribution of nuclear power plant emissions to the C-14 content in the atmosphere is less than 1%. The main contribution was made due to tests of nuclear weapons in the second half of the 20th century.