Energy Indicators for Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies International Atomic Energy Agency United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs International Energy Agency Eurostat European Environment Agency

METHODOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION 
(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: To compute the indicator, identification 
of energy-related accidents and their allocation to specific fuel cycles and 
subsequently to energy produced are required. For practical reasons, there is a 
discrepancy between the number of accidents that actually occur and those that are 
published and analysed in reports or periodicals. Therefore, the relatively rare major 

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accidents have a much greater probability of being registered than do the much more 
frequent or routine accidents that are less publicized.
(b) Measuring Methods: Types of accidents for various fuel chains that may result in 
fatalities include the following: 
Coal: Explosions or fires in underground coal mines; collapse of roof or walls in 
underground or surface mines; tailing dam collapse; haulage/vehicular accidents. 
Oil: Offshore rig accidents; fires or explosions from leaks or process plant failures; 
well blowouts causing leaks; transportation accidents resulting in fires, explosions or 
major spills; loss of content in storage farms resulting in fires or explosions. 
Natural Gas (includes liquefied petroleum gas): Same as for oil, except for spills. 
Nuclear: Loss of coolant or reactivity transient and reactor meltdown; accidents 
during shipment of high-level radioactive waste. 
Hydro: Rupture or overtopping of dam. 
Power Sector: Explosions or fires; failures of equipment for electricity generation, 
transportation or distribution. 
(c) Limitations of the Indicators: Fatalities alone do not cover all types of 
consequences of accidents. In spite of the importance of monitoring all consequences, 
the lack of corresponding information does not allow this issue to be fully addressed. 
It is recognized that the current state of knowledge concerning delayed health effects 
from accidents associated with different energy systems is limited.