Greenhouse Gas Emission of European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) Nuclear Power Plant Technology: A Life Cycle Approach

Abstract

Nuclear electricity generation technologies are considered to be important clean alternative energy sources as they do not directly generate carbon dioxide during the generation process. The environmental analysis over greenhouse gas emissions from European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) nuclear power plant, one type of pressurized water reactor (PWR), was studied by considering the entire life-cycle of the energy production. It was found that 1.98 g CO2eq/kWh was emitted. The other air emissions, energy consumption, the amount of waste produced and their radioactivity were also estimated.