Determining the Elevations of Industrial Sites of Nuclear Power Plants Located in Floodplains

Abstract

A method is proposed for determining the elevations of industrial sites of NPPs and other high-risk facilities located near water channels and water bodies, and is based on constructing a curve that associates water level with the probability of reaching these levels in a broad range of variation of probabilities. This makes it possible to enhance the reliability of determining the elevation of flooding for an assumed probability, ensure invariance to the standards of project design, and evaluate the effectiveness of the magnitude of the required reserve. A description of the method of constructing such a curve is presented using the example of the Rooppur NPP under project on the Ganges River (Republic of Bangladesh). The calculations employ both the method of extrapolation of field data and numerical hydrodynamic modeling of a combination of several hydrometeorological phenomena of rare repeatability, in order to determine the maximum levels of high waters, including taking into account possible climate changes. An evaluation of the risks of flooding of the industrial site was conducted, and an optimum elevation from the point of view of risk minimization was obtained.