Abstract

Once a coastal nuclear power station presents a danger, it could have a significant impact on marine ecology. Its safety operation is a concern worldwide. To evaluate the potential threats to the safe operation of coastal nuclear power stations from nearby maritime activities, we conducted this study using a specific coastal nuclear power plant. We focus on the factors affecting water-related risks at nuclear power stations, which include the risks of vessels losing control and colliding, as well as the risk of oil spillage threatening the cooling water supply of the nuclear power plant. Using the DELFT software, the study simulates a two-dimensional tidal current model of the marine area near the nuclear power station. The simulation designs experiments to model the drift of typical vessels under standard and extreme weather conditions, constructs a coastal current fields model to simulate ship oil spillage and applies the OILMAP model in order to simulate the drift, weathering, dispersion, dissolution and shoreline absorption associated with an oil spill. This process results in data relating to oil spill and drift risks under 36 different scenarios during both normal and extreme typhoon weather conditions. The study’s findings contribute to defining classified management areas in the waters around the nuclear power station during both regular and typhoon weather and provide suggestions for safety management. The methodology developed by this study can be widely applied to water-related risk management for coastal nuclear power stations, thus ensuring their safe operation.

Keywords:Maritime shipping; Nuclear power plant safety; Oil spill simulation; Ship drifting simulation