KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING.

BACHELOR OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.

TEEE 3108 POWER PLANT ENGINEERING

LECTURER: DR. AL-MAS SENDEGEYA

STUDENT’S NAME: TWINAMATSIKO GORDEN

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 18/U/BET/6102/PE

TASK: ASSIGNMENT

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 14TH MAY 2021

SIGNATURE: ………………………….
QUESTION ONE.

HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS

Hydroelectric power stations can produce a great deal of power very cheaply by tapping the high
kinetic energy in the running water across turbines that are connected to the generators thus
generating electricity.

Environmental and social impacts of hydroelectric power plants.

Positive impacts during construction phase.
Hydro power plants have several positive impacts on the community, nation and the
environment. These positive impacts include;
 During construction of the plant, employment opportunities are created especially for
casual workers from the local community.
 Through consumption of locally available materials such as timber, sand and cement
because they attract taxes which are payable to the national government.
 The project requires supply of large quantities of building materials quarrying companies
and hardware stores most of which are sourced locally from the surrounding areas.
 The informal sector like kiosk operators selling food to the workers on site benefit
temporarily from the operations.
Negative impacts during construction phase
The following negative impacts are associated with the construction of the hydro power plant.
 The construction works of the plant is always a noisy operation due to the moving
construction machines and vehicles and also the construction workers.
 Exhaust emissions are generated by the construction equipment and motor vehicles that
are used to ferry construction materials cause air quality impact by emitting pollutants
through exhaust emissions.
 Particulate matter pollution occurs during the site clearance, excavation and spreading
of the topsoil during construction of the plant.
 The excavation works to level the site results in the generation of small amounts of
excavated material.
 During construction, workers are exposed to risks of accidents and injuries intensive
engineering and construction activities
  Building materials such as hard core, ballast, cement, rough stone and sand required for
construction are obtained from nearby quarries and hardware stores which lead to
landscape changes, displacement of animals and vegetation, poor visual quality and
opening of depressions on the surface leading to human and animal health impacts.

Positive impacts during operation phase

 During operation of the plant, employment opportunities will be created especially for
skilled workers to maintain the plant.
 Hydro power plants connect more consumers leading to a substantial reduction in
reliance on other sources of energy e.g. charcoal and firewood that have impacts on the
forest cover and greenhouse.
 There is additional electricity in the national grid and more investors are attracted due to
the reliable supply of electrical energy.
 There is positive gain for the revenue system arising from the sale of the electricity power
to the government, the fuel provider, project operator which in turn is supplied to various
customers who pay taxes to the government.
 The level of security improves around the project area as a result of more security lights
and security personnel being employed to guard the plant.

Negative impacts during operation phase

The following are the negative impacts that are associated with the hydroelectric power plant
during the operation phase.
 Impact on terrestrial ecosystem.
 Acquisition of land for various project components like submergence, road
construction, dam structure, labour camps, colonies.
 Change in land use and habitat destruction leading to the land use changes, habitat
degradation and destruction from the said land.
 Impact on wildlife. If the site of construction is used as migratory route by the animals,
many animals will be affected.
 Impact on aquatic ecosystem. The construction of dam leads to formation of
lacustrine/semi lacustrine body on the upstream.
  It also leads to formation of algae which leads to the eutrophication of the
reservoir.
 The dam acts as an obstruction for the fish migration (habitat fragmentation).
 Deterioration of water quality
 Runoff of loose muck, effluents from crushers and sewage disposal from the
labour colonies.
 Untreated sewage is disposed in the river it will lead to increase in the organic
content
 Impact on air environment. Vehicular movement which are needed for drilling,
tunnelling, digging purposes
 The use of diesel generator to supply electricity; emission of NOx, SO2 which
then pollute the environment.
 The production of CO2 and CH4 due to the decomposition of the organic matter
and from the primary processes.
 Noise Pollution due to construction activities.
 Downstream impacts. Lowering of the turbidity water downstream leading to the high
erosion capacity of the river.
Mitigation of negative impacts of the hydro power plant during the operation phase.
 Minimization of noise and vibration by installing portable barriers to shield
compressors and other small stationary equipment where necessary and also using
quiet equipment (i.e. equipment designed with noise control elements).
 Controlling dust emissions that is likely to take place during construction phase of the
power plant to minimize environmental pollution.
 The excavated soil during the construction of the plant should not be disposed but be
re-spread for landscaping.
 To reduce the workers accidents and hazards during the construction phase of the
plant, the contractor and proponent are expected to adhere to the provisions of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act and provide a safe and healthy environment for
construction workers.
 The proponent of the plant can source building materials such as sand, ballast and
hard core from registered quarry and sand mining firms to reduce in the amount of
 raw materials extracted from natural resources as well as reducing impacts at the
extraction sites.
 It is recommended that demolition and construction waste be recycled or reused to
ensure that materials that would otherwise be disposed off as waste are converted for
productive uses.
 The plant can put in place measures aimed at minimizing soil erosion and associated
sediment release from the project site during construction.
 Clearance of part of the vegetation (mainly grass and shrubs) at the plant site to pave
way for construction is inevitable but you can ensure proper demarcation of the
project area to be affected by the construction works.
 Several measures can be put in place to mitigate the impacts that lead to Hydrology
and water quality degradation at the plant.
 Movement of heavy plant can be limited to off-peak hours between 10:00 am and
4:00 pm during the day under proper traffic management.

Positive effects during the decommissioning phase.

- The decommissioning of hydropower plants also leads to a reduction in the water level of the reservoir
behind the dam which then reduces on the threat of flooding in areas around the reservoir hence
preventing loss of lives of the animals that are unable to move to higher grounds during flooding
conditions.

Negative impacts during the decommissioning phase.

Due to the relative weakening of rocks around dams during the operation time of hydropower plants,
decommissioning activities become very risky as they could result into massive collapsing of rocks in the
around leading to death of people and animals nearby.

The decommissioning of hydropower plants causes a high demand on other environmentally destructive
energy sources like wood fuel which involves cutting down of trees. This practice can eventually lead to
famine and drought.

Mitigation measures for negative impacts during the decommissioning phase.

Other environmentally friendly energy sources for example renewable energy technologies like wind
energy should be set up to replace decommissioned hydropower plants so as to minimize on the demand
for environmentally destructive energy sources like wood fuel.
QUESTION TWO.
Environmental and social impacts of thermal power plants.
Positive impacts during construction phase.
Thermal power plants have several positive impacts on the community, nation and the
environment. These positive impacts include;
 Employment opportunities. During construction of the plant, employment
opportunities will be created especially for casual workers from the local community.
 Gains in the local and national economy. Through consumption of locally available
materials such as timber, sand and cement because they attract taxes which are payable to
the national government.
 Provision of market for supply of building materials. The project requires supply of
large quantities of building materials quarrying companies and hardware stores most of
which are sourced locally from the surrounding areas.
 Informal sectors benefits. The informal sector like kiosk operators selling food to the
workers on site benefit temporarily from the operations.
 Environmental benefits. Thermal power plants connect more consumers leading to a
substantial reduction in reliance on other sources of energy e.g. charcoal and firewood
that have impacts on the forest cover and greenhouse.
Negative impacts during construction phase
The following negative impacts are associated with the construction of the thermal power plant.
 Noise pollution. The construction works of the plant is always a noisy operation due to
the moving construction machines and vehicles and also the construction workers.
 Generation of exhaust emissions. Exhaust emissions are generated by the construction
equipment and motor vehicles that are used to ferry construction materials cause air
quality impact by emitting pollutants through exhaust emissions.
 Dust emissions. Particulate matter pollution occurs during the site clearance, excavation
and spreading of the topsoil during construction of the plant.
 Disposal of excavated soil. The excavation works to level the site results in the
generation of small amounts of excavated material.
 Increased water demand. During the construction phase, both the construction workers
and the construction works create additional demand for water in addition to the existing
 demand. Water will be mostly used in the mixing of concrete for civil construction works
and for wetting surfaces or cleaning completed structures.
 Workers accidents and hazards during construction. During construction, workers are
exposed to risks of accidents and injuries intensive engineering and construction
activities
 Energy consumption. The plant consumes fossil fuels (mainly diesel) to run transport
vehicles and construction machinery. Fossil energy is nonrenewable and its excessive use
may have serious environmental implications on its emission as smoke, availability, price
and sustainability.
 Extraction and use of building materials. Building materials such as hard core, ballast,
cement, rough stone and sand required for construction are obtained from nearby quarries
and hardware stores which lead to landscape changes, displacement of animals and
vegetation, poor visual quality and opening of depressions on the surface leading to
human and animal health impacts.
 Solid waste generation. During construction of the plant, solid waste is generated which
has a direct effect to the surrounding community.
 Possible exposure of workers to diseases. Workers are likely to be exposed to diseases
from building materials unless they are well there is need for the materials to be well
inspected according to the occupational health and safety standards.
 Increased storm water runoff from new impervious areas. Construction leads to
additional runoff through creation of impervious areas and compaction of soils.
 Soil erosion. Soil erosion usually occurs especially during the rainy and windy seasons
because of removal of the plant cover.
 Oil spills. The machines on site containing moving parts which require continuous
lubrication to minimize the usual corrosion, wear and tear leads to oil spills.
 Destruction of existing vegetation. The construction process involves clearing of the
existing vegetation cover consisting of mainly shrubs.
 Surface and ground water hydrology and water quality degradation. Changes in
surface hydrology alter the flow of water through the landscape.
 Fire outbreaks. Due to various construction activities at the power plant project, fire
outbreaks can occur.
  Traffic impacts. During construction, movement of trucks carrying heavy construction
equipment, excavated materials for disposal, construction materials and heavy plant,
cause several adverse impacts including, road blockage, slow traffic, noise and dust.
Mitigation of negative impacts during construction. The following measures can be
considered as mitigation measures of the negative impacts associated with the power plant
during construction phase.
 Minimization of noise and vibration
The project proponent can put in place several measures that will mitigate noise pollution arising
during the construction phase.
 Install portable barriers to shield compressors and other small stationary equipment
where necessary.
 Install sound barriers for pile driving activity.
 Use quiet equipment (i.e. equipment designed with noise control elements).
 Co-ordinate with relevant agencies regarding all construction.
 Limit vehicles to a minimum idling time and observe a common-sense approach to
vehicle use and encourage drivers to switch off vehicle engines whenever possible.
 Generation of exhaust emissions. In order to control exhaust emissions that are
likely to occur during the construction of the power plant, the following measures can
be implemented during construction.
 Vehicle idling time can be minimized
 Alternatively fuelled construction equipment can be used where feasible
 Equipment can be properly tuned and maintained
 Proper planning of transportation of materials to be used during construction of the
project done to ensure that vehicles are filled to capacity in order to reduce the number of
trips done or the number of vehicles on the road.
 Consider offering technical assistance on routine engine maintenance to SME truck
operators/contractors.
 Only trucks with engines maintained to reduce exhaust emissions can be permitted to
deliver fuel and other supplies.
 Dust emissions and air quality. Controlling dust emissions that is likely to take
place during construction phase of the power plant to minimize environmental
pollution.
 Excavated soil during construction. The excavated soil during the construction of
the plant should not be disposed but be re-spread for landscaping.
 Minimization of increased water demand. The proponent of the plant should ensure
that water is used efficiently at the site by sensitizing construction staff to avoid
irresponsible water use.
 Minimization of worker accidents and hazards. To reduce the workers accidents
and hazards during the construction phase of the plant, the contractor and proponent
are expected to adhere to the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
and provide a safe and healthy environment for construction workers.
 Reduction of energy consumption. The project proponent and contractor should
ensure responsible electricity use at the construction site through sensitization of staff
to conserve electricity by switching off electrical equipment or appliances when they
are not being used.
 Reduction of impacts at extraction sites. The proponent of the plant can source
building materials such as sand, ballast and hard core from registered quarry and sand
mining firms to reduce in the amount of raw materials extracted from natural
resources as well as reducing impacts at the extraction sites.
 Solid waste during construction phase. It is recommended that demolition and
construction waste be recycled or reused to ensure that materials that would otherwise
be disposed off as waste are converted for productive uses.
 Possible exposure of workers to diseases. Possible exposure of workers to diseases
from building materials at construction site can be mitigated by compliance with
occupational health and safety standards.
 Minimization of storm water run-off and soil erosion. The plant can put in place
measures aimed at minimizing soil erosion and associated sediment release from the
project site during construction.
  Controlling oil spills during construction phase. The proponent of the plant can
control the dangers of oil spills during construction by proper maintenance of
machinery in specific areas designated for this purpose.
 Minimization of vegetation disturbance. Clearance of part of the vegetation
(mainly grass and shrubs) at the plant site to pave way for construction is inevitable
but you can ensure proper demarcation of the project area to be affected by the
construction works.
 Hydrology and water quality degradation. Several measures can be put in place to
mitigate the impacts that lead to Hydrology and water quality degradation at the plant.
 Traffic impacts. Movement of heavy plant can be limited to off-peak hours between
10:00 am and 4:00 pm during the day under proper traffic management.
Positive impacts during operation phase.
Like construction phase, there are positive impacts associated with the Power plant during
operation phase. These positive impacts are discussed herein.
 Increase in electricity supply. There is additional electricity in the national grid and
more investors are attracted due to the reliable supply of electrical energy.
 Employment opportunities. Employment opportunities are one of the long-term major
positive impacts especially during the operation and maintenance of power plant.
 Increase in revenue. There is positive gain for the revenue system arising from the sale
of the electricity power to the government, the fuel provider, project operator which in
turn is supplied to various customers who pay taxes to the government.
 Improved security. The level of security improves around the project area as a result of
more security lights and security personnel being employed to guard the plant.
Negative impacts during operation phase
The following are the negative impacts that are associated with the thermal power plant during
the operation phase.
 Waste generation. The plant generates some amounts of wastes during its operation
phase which is injurious to the environment.
 Fuel oil consumption. The plant consumes large amount of diesel in the process of
generating electricity.
  Increased population around the project area. With the construction and operation of
the plant, there are mushrooming businesses within the plant area and operated by
persons who (in some instances) were not resident in the area. This in turn increases the
population in the project area.
 Water use. Activities of the plant involve the use of substantial quantities of water
initially, but after that recycled water and roof rain water is used.
 Increased pressure on infrastructure. The plant has a potential of increasing pressure
on existing infrastructure such as roads and water among others. This is because of
increased use of water and increased human and vehicle traffic in the project area.
 Air pollution. Operational phase of the plant affects air quality due to gaseous emissions
such as oxide of sulphur (SOx), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO).
 Increased storm water flow. The building roofs and pavements of the plant lead to
increased volume and velocity of storm water or run-off flowing across the area covered
by the plant
 Water pollution. During the operation phase, if the sites for dumping solid wastes are
not well taken care of, they cause contamination of ground water sources. Oil spills also
lead to contamination of wetlands and ground water sources.
 Noise pollution. There is noise pollution from the operation of the generators for the
power plant.
 Vibration. During the operational phase, the generators create a low level ground
vibration within the surrounding areas.
 Oil spills hazards. Oil spills and accidents during oil transportation, storage and
operations of the generators of the power plant occur which may lead to pollution or fires.
 Visual impacts. The plant presents unwanted visual impacts, both by its physical
presence and profile against the surrounding area and by visual impacts of the plume.
Mitigation of negative impacts during the operation phase
Impacts during the operation phase can be mitigated as discussed in herein;
 Ensuring efficient solid waste management. Waste handling facilities such as labeled
waste bins and skips should be provided to handle solid waste generated at the site
temporarily.
 Ensure efficient energy consumption. An energy-efficient lighting system at the site to
save on the energy should be provided.
 Ensure efficient water use. The proponent of the power plant should install water-
conserving automatic taps and toilets.
 Air pollution. The proponent of the power plant should ensure minimal COx and Sox
emissions through timely and frequent service and maintenance of the generators.
 Oil spills. To prevent oil spills and environmental contamination, the power plant and
pipelines should be designed with spill prevention and detection systems to protect the
environment.
 Visual impacts. The visual impact can be mitigated through landscaping the area with
trees to screen the project stacks and fuel tanks by the proponent of the power plant.
 Minimization of sewage release. The project proponent can ensure that there are
adequate means for handling the sewage generated at the power plant.
 Fire suppression. The proposed power plant must have fire fighting equipments of high
standards and in key strategic points spread all over the project site.
 Flue gas. To mitigate the effects of flue gas affecting the micro-climate of the area, the
exhaust gas stacks (chimney) of the generators should be to at least 30 m high. This will
enable plume dispersal high preventing smoke and heat from affecting the surrounding
area. Again it will be used to predict impact.
 Workers health and safety. All workers entering the power plant site must be equipped
with appropriate and adequate PPE including ear muffs, safety footwear, overalls, gloves,
dust masks, among others.
 Hazardous waste. The amount of hazardous waste created should be very low and
possibly originate from maintenance sources.
 Noise and vibration. Noise and vibration can be mitigated through installation of
generators in suitable structures with inbuilt sound and vibration absorption mechanisms.
 Traffic impacts. Delivery of fuel by heavy trucks should be limited to day time hours to
prevent noise pollution and nuisance to the neighboring residencies.
Positive impacts during decommissioning phase
These positive impacts are associated with the power plant during the decommissioning phase:
 Site rehabilitation. Upon decommissioning of the plant, rehabilitation of the project is
carried out to restore the site to its original status or to a better state than it was originally
which includes replacement of topsoil and re-vegetation which leads to restoration of the
visual quality of the area.
 Employment opportunities. Employment opportunities are created for the demolition
staff during the demolition phase of the power plant.
Negative impacts during decommissioning phase
The following are the negative impacts that are associated with the plant during its
decommissioning phase.
 Noise and vibration. The demolition works lead to significant deterioration of the
acoustic environment within the project site and the surrounding areas due to the noise
and vibration that is experienced as a result of demolishing the power plant.
 Solid waste generation. Demolition of the plant and other infrastructure results in
generation of solid waste.
 Dust. Some dust is be generated during demolition works of the plant which affects
demolition staff and the neighbors.
 Traffic impacts. During decommissioning movement of trucks carrying heavy
demolition equipment, demolished materials for disposal and heavy plant cause several
adverse impacts like road blockage, slow traffic, noise and dust.
Mitigation of impacts during the decommissioning Phase
The negative impacts of the decommissioning phase of the proposed power plant can be
mitigated as follows.
 Minimization of noise and vibration. These noise-suppression techniques should be
employed to minimize the impact of temporary destruction noise at the project site.
 Install portable barriers to shield compressors and other small stationary
equipment where necessary.
 Limit vehicles and other small equipment with engines to a minimum idling time
and observe a common-sense approach to vehicle use, and encourage workers to
shut off vehicle engines whenever possible.
  Demolish mainly during the day, a time with minimal noise disturbance.
 Efficient solid waste management. Solid waste resulting from demolition or
dismantling works associated with the plant during decommissioning phase should be
managed as follows:
 Use of durable, long-lasting materials that do not need to be replaced as often,
thereby reducing the amount of demolition waste generated during
decommissioning phase
 Provision of facilities for proper handling and storage of demolition materials to
reduce the amount of waste caused by damage or exposure to the elements
 Adequate collection and storage of waste on site and safe transportation to the
disposal sites and disposal methods at designated area shall be provided.
 Reduction of dust concentration. High levels of dust concentration resulting from
demolition or dismantling works should be minimized as follows:
 Watering all active demolition areas as and when necessary to lay dust.
 Cover all trucks hauling soil, sand and other loose materials or require all trucks
to maintain at least two feet of freeboard.
QUESTION THREE.

NUCLEAR ENERGY.
Nuclear power is generated from the controlled use of nuclear reactions to yield energy
(electricity and heat). Nuclear energy is produced when the natural radioactive decay of material,
such as uranium, is accelerated to produce heat, which is used to boil water, which in turn
generates steam which is used to drive turbines.

Environmental and social impacts of nuclear power plants.

There are several effects of nuclear power plants to the environment at the construction,
operation and the demolition stages and these are:

Positive impacts.

 Employment opportunities. During construction of the plant, employment opportunities

will be created especially for casual workers from the local community.
 Environmental benefits. Nuclear power plants connect more consumers leading to a
substantial reduction in reliance on other sources of energy e.g. charcoal and firewood
that have impacts on the forest cover and greenhouse.
 Increase in electricity supply. There is additional electricity in the national grid and
more investors are attracted due to the reliable supply of electrical energy.
 Increase in Revenue. There is positive gain for the revenue system arising from the sale
of the electricity power to the government, the fuel provider, project operator which in
turn is supplied to various customers who pay taxes to the government.
 Improved Security. The level of security improves around the project area as a result of
more security lights and security personnel being employed to guard the plant.

Negative impacts.

 Radioactive waste. Waste from nuclear power plants can remain active for hundreds of
thousands of years and this poses a threat to the environment.
 Cooling water system used to keep the plant from overheating release warm water back
into the ocean or river which then kills the aquatic life like fish because it is hotter than
the original water.
  Nuclear power plant accidents and terrorism. Even if all safety precautions are
followed, it is no guarantee that a nuclear power plant accident will not occur. If a
nuclear power plant accident occurs, the environment and surrounding people could be
exposed to high levels of radiation. Terrorism threats are another concern that needs to
be addressed.
 Mining and transportation of Uranium is destructive exposing humans and the
environment to radioactivity. Mining contributes to water pollution and land leakage.
 Radio activity. Nuclear power plants routinely emit low level radioactivity that poses
cancer risks for nearby communities.

Mitigation of impacts of nuclear power plants on the environment.

 Environmental safety at all stages of nuclear power plant construction is the main
principle and the basic condition for the development of the nuclear industry.
 Compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the country or body
governing power production.
 Prompt obtaining of necessary permits for the power plant project implementation from
relevant institutions
 Unconditional fulfillment of all requirements and standards of safe operation of NPP;
 Continuous environmental monitoring of the nuclear power plant and surrounding
territories.
 Publication of annual report on environmental safety.
 Regular provision of information to the public about the facts of impact of nuclear power
plant on the health of the personnel, population and environment.
 There are environmental measures meant for environmental monitoring during the project
implementation.
 Reclamation and re-vegetation of land disturbed during construction.
 Protection of the environment against radioactive and chemical waste during normal
operation of the facility.
 Organization of air emissions from the premises with a high degree of purity from
radioactive products.
 Preventing radio nuclides getting into the environment with water.
 Secure storage of waste without contact with the environment.
 Exclusion of non-radioactive emissions of environment pollutants.
 Continuous comprehensive environmental monitoring.
References
 FINAL EIA-Enviroplan and Management Consultants-May 2011.
 Akkuyu Nuclear, 2016. http://www.akkunpp.com/environmental-safety, Accessed March
 Anonymous, 2011a. Russian plant for Turkey's Akkuyu". World Nuclear News. 13 May
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkuyu_Nuclear_Power_Plant Accessed May 8, 2016
 Centre for Inter-Disciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill Environment (2009).
Environmental
 Impact Assessment for 1750MW Demwe Lower HE Project, Arunachal Pradesh.
 M.P.Sharma (2007). Environmental Impacts of Small Hydro Power Projects
 K J Joy, Chandan Mahanta and Partha J Das. Hydropower Development in Northeast
India: Conflicts, Issues and Way Forward.