Bakun hydroelectric power plant

Hydroelectric power plant offered a flexible operation. It has the ability to respond to changes in
demand curve within a minute or even in seconds. The renewable source, water allows the flexibility of
the generation of the electricity. The water flow is regulated to reserve the capacity needed during the
peak of demand period. For example, to produce more electricity, more water is released from the
reservoir through the powerhouse during the peak of the demand period. Meanwhile, during the low
demand period, the operation is slightly different. The water purposely allowed to build up in the
storage of the reservoir. Hence it can be used during the peak of the demand period.

There are many environmental consideration are taken in order to minimize and even controlled the
environmental impacts due to the hydroelectric power plant construction. The feasibility of the Bakun
hydroelectric power plant was determined after undergoes the environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, whom entrusted to develop and manage the Bakun hydroelectric power plant
follow all the terms and conditions ruled by environmental authority, the Natural Resources
Environmental Board (NREB) of Sarawak to minimize the environmental impacts due to the construction.
Besides, the international environmental management standards and procedures in ISO 14001
Environmental Management System were implemented in the early stage of the construction. Also, in
order to ensure a good environmental compliance, an environmental monitoring and independent
environmental audit were conducted. Not only that, the collaboration with the Sarawak Forestry
Corporation was conducted to monitor as well as relocated the plant and animal as a significant size of
land will be flooded to build a reservoir. The environmental consideration was also taken in designing
the dam. The base flow of the water in downstream river was preserved for the aquatic life and also the
downstream users by constantly released the water through the water release outlet.

Safety
The dam safety review are conducted by focusing towards the dam capability to withstand the pressure
of the stored water and the capability for water to flow around and through the water in dam in
controlled manner. The activities involved in the review including inspection and verification of dam
structure and components (civil, geotechnical, mechanical and electrical), flood analysis as well as failure
analysis in order to minimize and also overcome the impacts or problems arise due to the construction
of the dam.



Parlo verda
The nuclear power plant has flexible operation. However, the systems have to validate during the initial
start-up testing and any limitations should be determined at the early stage of the testing part.
Additionally, the safety analysis for licensing are conducted to support the flexible and any limiting
conditions in order for the power plant to operate safely. Normally, the power plant operated in a base
load mode operation only and from time to time considering switching to flexible mode of operation in
order to fulfill the demand and also as a preparation to a more complex situation. The proper design and
modification of the plant required to support frequency control as well as the operating loads. Other
than that, the safety analyses and licensing

. Depending on the NPP design, modifications to the plant, particularly to the control systems, may be
required to support frequency control and load following operations. Also, adaptation of the safety
analyses and licensing basis changes may be required. Similarly, existing operation and maintenance
philosophies and procedures may need adjustment to support flexible operation. nuclear power plant

The history of the nuclear power filled with technical error and close calls incident. In the case of the
Palo Verde nuclear power plant in Arizona, the tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen that can cause
cancer and genetic defects was discovered in groundwater during routine operation in March 2006.
These causes a serious matter to the nuclear power plant workers as well as the residents that lived
nearby since the incident harm their level of health. Other than that, the safety of the nuclear power
had been increased from time to time since it has high possibility to be target by the terrorist either
through the external assault or the internal sabotage. Based on a test conducted in 2000 and 2001, the
mock intruders able to ruin 11 reactors that cause about 6 plants cannot operate anymore. Due to the
these test, all the nuclear plant start taking serious in their level of security as well as safety in order to
protect the nuclear plant from the terrorist attack.
Environmental consideration
Nuclear power plants have the lowest air emission of any energy source. During the nuclear plants
operation, it produce no Nox (ground level ozone), SO2(acid rain) and CO2(climate change).However, the
cooling water systems of the nuclear power plant bring impacts on the aquatic life population. Through
the thermoelectric power plant cooling systems the heated water is discharge back to the main water
body. The low water quality can caused either physical or chemical injury and mortality, behavior
disruption as well as habitat destruction or alteration. During the discharge of the water into the ocean,
the aquatic life trapped in the plant cooling system. In the cases of Florida nuclear power plant, 190 sea
turtle found died over 5000 sea turtle trapped in the plant cooling system in 20 years period. While in
New Jersey,1990, a research found that Salem nuclear power plant has caused about 4 times fish losses
than the fishing industry. In other cases in New Jerseys Oyster Greek nuclear power plant, about 5000
fish died because of the heat shock. Clearly, it shows that cooling water systems of the nuclear power
plant can affect the population of the aquatic life over time.