The selection of the site for a power plant depends upon many factors such as cost of transmission of energy, cost of fuel, cost of land and taxes, requirement of space, availability of site for water power, storage space for fuel, transport facilities, availability of cooling water, nature of load, degree of reliability, pollution and noise, interest and depreciation etc.
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How to choose a site for nuclear power plant?
Area remote from coal fields and hydro site are preferable so as to improve the reliability of supply over the area. The site selected for nuclear power plants should have adequate space and arrangement for the disposal of radioactive waste. Consideration # 5. Availability of Site for Water Power:
How to choose a power plant?
All these points should be considered together in taking final decision about the selection and location of power plant: Consideration # 1. Cost of Transmission of Energy: A power plant should be located as near to the load centre as possible. This reduces the transmission costs and losses in transmission.
Where should a power plant be located?
Cost of Transmission of Energy: A power plant should be located as near to the load centre as possible. This reduces the transmission costs and losses in transmission. Hydroelectric, steam (coal based) and nuclear power plants cannot be located near the load centres and need transmission lines of larger, shorter and moderate length.
How much storage space does a power plant need?
Storage Space for Fuel: A steam (coal-based) power plant needs space for storage of coal in amounts depending on the size of plant. A supply of coal for the next 2/3 weeks at least should always be available on site. The amount of reserve stock required depends on the location of power plant.
Where should a nuclear power plant be located?
Nuclear power plants need more than twice the water required for the steam plant of the same size for cooling etc. Hence, the site selected for nuclear power plant should be near a river or lake or by sea side. Consideration # 9. Disposal of Ash:
Where should a diesel power plant be located?
Diesel and gas turbine power plants can be located anywhere and so no transmission line is required. However, the modern power plants are of large capacities and feed a grid which supplies power to large areas. As such other considerations become more significant than the consideration of location of plant near the load centre. Consideration # 2.