Abstract: Of radioactive releases from the nuclear energy chain life cycle, direct releases are involved in uranium mining and milling, uranium purification and conversion, uranium isotopes separation, fuel fabrication, nuclear power plant operation, fuel reprocessing and solid waste disposal, and indirect releases in the consumption of cement, steel and electricity energy. The radiological impacts of releases from the nuclear energy chain life cycle were evaluated based on the site-specific environmental features. The results show that normalized collective effective doses to the public resulting from radioactive releases are 7.88, 6.31 and 4.63 man•Sv•(GW•a)^-1 during the periods of 2001—2005, 2006—2010 and 2011—2013, respectively. The normalized collective doses from the direct releases are much higher than those from the indirect releases. Uranium mining and milling contribute about 90% of total collective effective doses, which is still much higher than the global average. It is necessary to improve the technologies of uranium mining and milling, so as to reduce the radioactive releases to the environment in the nuclear energy chain.