Current status of radiological protection at Swiss NPPS.

Occupational exposure in nuclear power plants has been reduced significantly within the last two decades. Dose distribution of workers shows that 80 % have a dose <1 mSv y(-1). Discharges have always been low, resulting in hypothetical doses of a few micro Sieverts per year to the most affected persons. Dose distribution owing to natural and medical exposure does not change for the majority of workers by adding their occupational dose distribution. Doses from discharges do not have any impact on the dose distribution of the public. Nuclear power implicates no additional radiation risks to the public and tiny risks for a few of the workers. Nuclear power contributes positively to the environment and to public health with tremendous savings of greenhouse gas emissions. Comparing the public benefits, tiny doses for workers are easily justified. Further reductions of discharge limits or occupational exposure constraints are without a real gain in public health.