Social effects of nuclear power plants

Conference · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:4275538

Peelle, Elizabeth ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Social effects of building and operating nuclear power plants result from impacts upon (1) socially-valued aspects of the physical environment and (2) the social structure itself. Sudden, temporary population growth during construction may strain financial and organizational resources of rural areas. Large increases in tax base result from operation of privately-owned power plants, affecting tax structures and land use balances in site-specific fashion. Assessment of impacts involves dimensioning with fourteen descriptors, and analysis of impact recipient groups. Dissociation of social costs and benefits may occur (1) through time-lag between costs and benefits, (2) when different groups are beneficiaries and payees, and (3) through vagaries of institutional structure. Assessment of social costs and benefits usually involves non-equivalent currencies of exchange, and raises serious analytical and methodological problems for a final cost-benefit balance. Social impact alternatives are listed as are requirements for adequate social impact analysis.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-30-011937
• OSTI ID: 4275538
• Report Number(s): CONF--740520--1
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS-- ENVIRONMENT
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
SOCIOLOGY