Nuclear power: Is it safe to use nuclear energy - and what are the health risks with it

Under the watchful eyes of Great British Nuclear, the country's use of nuclear power is expected to be pushed into overdrive, with a major funding injection for research and development.

While the news may appear positive to some, as the focus is shifted away from fossil fuels, there are concerns about the health implications of relying on nuclear energy.

Nuclear power plants work by using decaying isotopes to produce energy - but the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has warned that there are serious consequences for prolonged or repeated exposure.

A report, published last year by the NCI about accidents at nuclear power plants, read: "At high doses, ionizing radiation can cause immediate damage to a person’s body, including, at very high doses, radiation sickness and death. At lower doses, ionizing radiation can cause health effects such as cardiovascular disease and cataracts, as well as cancer.

"It causes cancer primarily because it damages DNA, which can lead to cancer-causing gene mutations.

"Children and adolescents can be more sensitive to the cancer-causing effects of ionizing radiation than adults because their bodies are still growing and developing. Also, children and adolescents usually have more years of life following radiation exposure during which cancer may develop."

Everyone is exposed to low levels of radiation throughout their lives, from both natural and man-made sources. This can depend on a person's diet, lifestyle and where they live - but also their occupation.

Researchers added that radiation exposure can not only lead to cancer in those it comes into contact with, but also their children, if born after the person has been exposed.

"Radiation exposure could lead to cancer is through transgenerational effects, in which people exposed to ionizing radiation develop new genetic changes in their gametes (sperm or eggs) that are passed on to their future offspring, increasing cancer risk in those offspring," the report continued.

"Researchers at NCI and elsewhere continue to learn about the cancer risks from ionizing radiation by studying various groups of people, including those who were exposed as a result of the Chernobyl accident, survivors of the atomic bomb explosions in Japan during World War II, and people who were exposed to radiation during medical diagnostic procedures or as part of their job."

Is nuclear energy safe to be using?

In the years following the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, the UK government put a stop to the construction of new nuclear power plants until 2010, when the construction of eight more sites was announced.

The destruction of the reactor at Chernobyl exposed around 600 workers to high doses of radiation, as well as ionizing radiation for the thousands of people in the cleanup crew.

Since then, there has been one other nuclear incident at Fukushima, Japan in 2011 - where three old reactors were written off after a tsunami. There were no serious deaths or injuries.

The World Nuclear Association has stated that "the risk of accidents in nuclear power plants is low and declining," adding that radiological effects can be easily avoided.

At the moment, the UK has nine operational nuclear reactors.