Spatial data analysis for preliminary site selection of nuclear power plants in the Thrace region of Turkey

Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Due to increasing population worldwide and the development of new energy-intensive technologies, the world’s energy needs continue to increase. Countries need new energy sources and a strong energy policy to meet this growing energy need, to ensure diversity in sources of energy production, and to reduce dependence on foreign countries. In this context, nuclear energy, which is carbon-free energy, plays a crucial role in decreasing carbon emissions, slowing the rate of global warming, and slowing the advance of climate change, all while ensuring continuity in energy production. ☐ Nuclear power plants typically require more safety measures than other types of energy plants, due to the importance of containment of the nuclear material that is the source of the energy that is produced. Nuclear power plants need to be carefully designed to resist various types of geotechnical and seismic hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, foundation issues, etc. As such, site selection from a geotechnical and geological standpoint plays a very important role in determining the successful long-term performance of a nuclear power plant over the complete design life of the structure. Poor site selection for nuclear facilities can affect the safety of the structure, as well as affect the cost of construction. The relatively recent nuclear accident in Fukushima Daiichi, Japan in 2011, which occurred as the result of a seismic event, is an example of the potential risks posed to the public and the consequences of nuclear power plant failure. As is typical for many failures, the engineering lessons learned from Fukushima have led to increased controls and recommendations for the even safer design of nuclear power plants moving forwards, including the publication of new safety guidelines. ☐ The United States has the most nuclear power facilities in the world with 93 reactors. At present, nuclear energy is the largest source of carbon-free power in the United States. Developing countries such as Turkey and other countries that have just started to develop a nuclear energy program generally follow and use the safety parameters of developed countries for site selection. The principles and guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency are also widely followed. Since site selection of nuclear facilities requires consideration of many criteria and parameters, existing guidelines encourage the use of geographic information systems for more effectively selecting optimal sites for the construction of new nuclear energy facilities. ☐ This research project is aimed at providing techniques, information, and insights that inform the process for identifying optimal sites for nuclear power plants to meet projected electric energy demands in Turkey for the future. The approach utilized is based on appropriate screening criteria applied via a spatial modeling approach with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) decision-making framework. This study aims to determine a set of criteria that can be used to select optimal sites for the construction of new nuclear power facilities in Turkey via a geographical information systems approach. In this context, the safety guidelines of the International Atomic Energy Agency, regulations of country-specific nuclear regulatory bodies, and previous studies performed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory in the United States were reviewed. From this review, 8 exclusion and 7 ranking criteria were determined for the site selection of nuclear power plants. Exclusion criteria identified included proximity to active fault lines in the region, landslide risk, water erosion risk, proximity to cooling water availability, slope, proximity to airports, population density, and wetland areas; these criteria were used in preliminary screening analyses to identify potential candidate sites in the Thrace region of Turkey. After preliminary screening, potential sites were prioritized utilizing the following ranking criteria: the distance of the sites to active fault lines, the relative risk of landslides, the relative risk of water erosion, the proximity to the transportation network, the relative degree of slope, and the proximity to available cooling water. Various analyses were performed for each criterion using ArcGIS software and the most suitable sites for nuclear power plant construction in the Thrace region of Turkey were determined. As a result of the ranking criteria analysis, the overall most suitable site for the construction of new nuclear power plants in the Thrace region of Turkey is located in the northeast of the study area, on the Black Sea coast. As an alternative to the most suitable site, 10 different alternative site areas were identified, following the ranked scoring of sites.
Description
Keywords
Carbon-free power, Decreasing carbon emissions, Safety guidelines
Citation