Catastrophic Hazards of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs)

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Why are nuclear power plants potentially dangerous?

The impact of a nuclear power plant on the environment, subject to construction and operation technology, can and should be significantly less than other technological facilities: chemical plants, thermal power plants. However, radiation in the event of an accident is one of the dangerous factors for the environment, human life and health. In this case, the emissions are equated to those arising from the testing of nuclear weapons.

What is the impact of nuclear power plants under normal and abnormal conditions, is it possible to prevent disasters and what measures are taken to ensure safety at nuclear facilities?

The first studies of nuclear power took place in the 1890s, and the construction of large facilities began in 1954. Nuclear power plants are being built to obtain energy by radioactive decay in a reactor.

The following types of third-generation reactors are now used:

• light water (most common);
• heavy water;
• gas-cooled;
• fast neutron.

In the period from 1960 to 2008, about 540 nuclear reactors were put into operation in the world. Of these, about 100 were closed for various reasons, including due to the negative impact of the nuclear power plant on nature. Until 1960, the reactors had a high accident rate due to technological imperfections and insufficient elaboration of the regulatory framework. In the following years, requirements became more stringent, and technology improved. Against the background of a decrease in the reserves of natural energy resources, high energy efficiency of uranium, safer and less negative nuclear power plants were built.

For the planned operation of nuclear facilities, uranium ore is mined, from which radioactive uranium is obtained by enrichment. The reactors produce plutonium, the most toxic human-derived substance in existence. The handling, transport and disposal of waste from nuclear power plants requires careful precautions and safety.

Along with other industrial complexes, nuclear power plants have an impact on the natural environment and human life. In the practice of using energy facilities, there are no 100% reliable systems. The NPP impact analysis is carried out taking into account the possible subsequent risks and the expected benefits.

At the same time, absolutely safe energy does not exist. The impact of a nuclear power plant on the environment begins from the moment of construction, continues during operation and even after its end. On the territory of the location of the power generation plant and outside it, the occurrence of such negative influences should be envisaged:

• Withdrawal of a land plot for construction and arrangement of sanitary zones.
• Change of terrain relief.
• Destruction of vegetation due to construction.
• Pollution of the atmosphere when blasting is required.
• Resettlement of local residents to other territories.
• Harm to local animal populations.
• Thermal pollution affecting the microclimate of the territory.
• Changes in the conditions for the use of land and natural resources in a certain area.
• The chemical effect of nuclear power plants is emissions into water basins, the atmosphere and on the soil surface.
• Radionuclide contamination, which can cause irreversible changes in the organisms of humans and animals. Radioactive substances can enter the body through air, water and food. There are special preventive measures against this and other factors.
• Ionizing radiation during the decommissioning of the station in violation of the rules for dismantling and decontamination.

One of the most significant polluting factors is the thermal effect of nuclear power plants arising from the operation of cooling towers, cooling systems and spray pools. They affect the microclimate, the state of the waters, the life of flora and fauna within a radius of several kilometers from the object. The efficiency of nuclear power plants is about 33-35%, the rest of the heat (65-67%) is released into the atmosphere.

On the territory of the sanitary zone, as a result of the impact of the nuclear power plant, in particular of the cooling ponds, heat and moisture are released, causing a temperature rise of 1-1.5 ° within a radius of several hundred meters. In the warm season, fogs form over water bodies, which dissipate at a significant distance, worsening insolation and accelerating the destruction of buildings. In cold weather, fog intensifies ice conditions. The spray devices cause an even greater rise in temperature over a radius of several kilometers.

Water-cooling evaporating cooling towers evaporate up to 15% in summer, and up to 1-2% in winter, forming steam condensate flares, causing a 30-50% decrease in solar illumination in the adjacent territory, deteriorating meteorological visibility by 0.5-4 km. The impact of the nuclear power plant affects the ecological state and hydrochemical composition of the water of adjacent water bodies. After the evaporation of water from the cooling systems, salts remain in the latter. To maintain a stable salt balance, part of the hard water has to be discarded and replaced with fresh water.

Under normal operating conditions, radiation contamination and the effect of ionizing radiation are minimized and do not exceed the permissible natural background. The catastrophic impact of a nuclear power plant on the environment and people can occur during accidents and leaks.

Do not forget about the man-made risks that are possible in the nuclear power industry. Among them:

• Emergency situations with the storage of nuclear waste materials. The production of radioactive waste at all stages of the fuel and energy cycle requires costly and complex reprocessing and disposal procedures.
• The so-called "human factor", which can provoke a malfunction and even a serious accident.
• Leaks at facilities processing irradiated fuel.
• Possible nuclear terrorism.

The standard operating life of a nuclear power plant is 30 years. After decommissioning the station, the construction of a durable, complex and expensive sarcophagus is required, which will have to be serviced for a very long period of time.

It is assumed that the impact of a nuclear power plant in the form of all of the above factors should be controlled at every stage of the design and operation of the plant. Special comprehensive measures are designed to predict and prevent releases, accidents and their development, to minimize the consequences.

It is important to be able to predict geodynamic processes on the territory of the station, to normalize electromagnetic radiation and noise affecting personnel. To locate the energy complex, the site is selected after a thorough geological and hydrogeological substantiation, an analysis of its tectonic structure is carried out. During construction, careful adherence to the technological sequence of works is assumed.

The task of science, service and practical activities is to prevent emergencies, to create normal conditions for the operation of nuclear power plants. One of the factors of environmental protection from the impact of nuclear power plants is the regulation of indicators, that is, the establishment of permissible values of a particular risk and adherence to them.

To minimize the impact of the NPP on the surrounding area, natural resources and people, comprehensive radioecological monitoring is carried out. To ward off erroneous actions of the power plant workers, multilevel training, training sessions and other activities are carried out. To prevent terrorist threats, physical protective measures are used, as well as the activities of special government organizations.

Modern nuclear power plants are built with high levels of safety and security. They must meet the highest requirements of the regulatory authorities, including protection against contamination by radionuclides and other harmful substances. The task of science is to reduce the risk of exposure to nuclear power plants as a result of an accident. To solve this problem, reactors that are safer in design and have impressive internal indicators of self-protection and self-compensation are being developed.

Natural radiation exists in nature. But for the environment, the intense radiation exposure of the nuclear power plant in the event of an accident, as well as thermal, chemical and mechanical, is dangerous. The problem with the disposal of nuclear waste is also very urgent. For the safe existence of the biosphere, special protective measures and means are needed. The attitude to the construction of nuclear power plants in the world is extremely ambiguous, especially after a number of major disasters at nuclear facilities.

The perception and assessment of nuclear energy in society will never be the same after the Chernobyl tragedy in 1986. Then up to 450 varieties of radionuclides got into the atmosphere, including short-lived iodine-131 and long-lived cesium-131, strontium-90.

After the accident, some research programs in different countries were closed, normally functioning reactors were preventively shut down, and individual states imposed a moratorium on nuclear power. At the same time, about 16% of the world's electricity is generated by nuclear power plants. The development of alternative energy sources is capable of replacing nuclear power plants.