Multi-component environmental impact assessment of a thermal power station

Abstract

The production of electricity at thermal power plants using fossil fuels involves the use of such material resources, most of which are converted into waste that is released into the environment. Hrazdan Thermal Power Station is the largest power plant in Armenia, built and put into operation in the late 1960s. During the study, a comparative analysis of the concentration of some chemical elements in soil samples, including the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant and the Hrazdan Cement Plant, was carried out. The analysis showed significant differences depending on the sampling location and season. This may be due not only to snow cover but also to the start of spring fieldwork and the application of fertilizers and pesticides to agricultural land, as well as the active period of power plant operation. Therefore, when using multi-criteria methods to assess the environmental impact of different types of power plants, it is necessary to consider the soil pollution coefficient as a separate correction factor.