WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS), a nonprofit representing over 12,000 professionals in the fields of nuclear science and technology, issues the following response to "National Analysis of Cancer Mortality and Proximity to Nuclear Power Plants in the United States," by Yazan Alwadi, Petros Koutrakis, et al., published February 23, 2026, in Nature Communications (doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-69285-4):

Experts with ANS, including health physicists and radiation protection specialists, have reviewed the study published in Nature Communications purporting to show associations between residential proximity to nuclear power plants and elevated cancer mortality rates across U.S. counties from 2000 to 2018. This study contains fundamental methodological shortcomings, acknowledged by the authors themselves, that prevent it from supporting any credible scientific conclusions.

The Bottom Line:

This flawed ecological study does not advance our understanding of radiological risk. The authors themselves state that their findings "cannot establish causality" and that their study "does not include dosimetry," admissions that undermine the study's central premise and that ANS urges journalists and policymakers to weigh carefully.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) applauds the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Douglas Weaver to serve as a commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC):

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) applauds the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Ho Nieh to serve as a commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC):

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in response to Executive Order 14302, “Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base.” The letter outlines expert-backed recommendations for establishing an effective national program within the United States to manage the storage, reprocessing, and final disposal of commercial used nuclear fuel once it has been in a reactor from a nuclear power plant. This stage is commonly referred to as the “back end” of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Washington, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) applauds the U.S. Senate's confirmation of Theodore “Ted” Garrish as Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

“On behalf of over 11,000 professionals in the fields of nuclear science and technology, the American Nuclear Society congratulates Mr. Garrish on being confirmed by the Senate to once again lead the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy,” said ANS President H.M. "Hash" Hashemian.

Washington, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) issued the following statement:

"We commend Commissioner Christopher Hanson for his service and leadership at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He served honorably as both a commissioner and chair."

Washington, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS) issued the following statement:

"A competent, effective, and fully staffed U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is essential to the rapid deployment of new reactors and advanced technologies. The arbitrary removal of commissioners without due cause creates regulatory uncertainty that threatens to delay America’s nuclear energy expansion."

Washington, D.C. — Craig Piercy, CEO of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), issued the following statement:

"The American Nuclear Society applauds the announced partnerships between Google and Kairos Power and by Amazon and X-energy. Together, these deals will add at least 820 megawatts of zero carbon electricity to the U.S. energy supply. This is a major step toward securing the commercial deployment of advanced nuclear technologies that will make the world a cleaner and more prosperous place."

Washington, D.C. — The American Nuclear Society (ANS), a nonprofit representing over 10,000 professionals in the fields of nuclear science and technology, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to grant certiorari to Nuclear Regulatory Commission v. Texas: