Thermoluminescent Dosimetry Program

The BNE maintains a Thermoluminescent Dosimetry Program (TLD) program, independent from that of each nuclear power plant operator, in the environs of the Oyster Creek and Salem/Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations.  TLDs are passive radiation detectors that require no power source and are designed to have the same sensitivity to radiation as human tissue.  They monitor the environment on a continuous cycle, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, thereby providing an integrated exposure dose.  ​

​TLD badges are placed at locations offsite near each nuclear site’s property line and out to distances of ten (10) miles in each standard wind compass sector (such as North, South, North-Northeast), in addition to area of special interest such as population centers.  There are currently 25 TLD stations in the environs of Oyster Creek and 18 TLD stations in the environs of Salem/Hope Creek.  In addition, the BNE monitors several locations around the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installations at each nuclear site and two (2) background locations that are over twenty (20) miles from each nuclear facility.  Each TLD location is comprised of two (2) to five (5) badges for quality assurance purposes. With the shutdown and ongoing decommissioning of Oyster Creek, the placement of TLD badges in the environs Oyster Creek has been reduced to distances of three (3) miles.​

The TLDs are exchanged by BNE’s private contractor on a quarterly basis and analyzed by BNE staff using a Panasonic TLD Reader.   Analysis results are documented in the Environmental Surveillance and Monitoring Reports/Tables, available on the BNE website.