Living near a nuclear power plant can increase your risk of cancer.
That is the conclusion of a new Harvard study announced on February 23, 2026.
According to the study, people who live in counties in the USA that are close to operating nuclear power plants suffer from higher mortality rates from cancer. The study was conducted by Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study is the first of its kind this century that shows higher death rates near nuclear power plants.
“Our study suggests that living near a NPP may carry a measurable cancer risk—one that lessens with distance,” said senior author Petros Koutrakis, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation. “We recommend that more studies be done that address the issue of NPPs and health impacts, particularly at a time when nuclear power is being promoted as a clean solution to climate change.”
The study was published Feb. 23, 2026, in Nature Communications. Get the study here.
Get the announcement from Harvard here.