Nuclear Entombment
Thesis This thesis will look at ways to intervene decommissioned nuclear power plants by examining the type of conversion an architect’s challenge for the benefit of urban renewal. In addition, I will explore the need to adapt to natural environments and seamlessly blend existing nuclear power plant structures with the landscape to diminish people’s the perception of unsafeness by radiation.
Nuclear plants do not last forever. The second generation reactor have a life span of four decades of energy harvesting. After the time period, nuclear power plant’s efficiency and structural will deteriorate. Government will require nuclear companies to decide whether they want to renew their license or decommission nuclear plants for the safety of the population and environment. It has been projected over the next two decades there are more than 400 plants worldwide will go out of service. All second generation reactors did not take decommission into consideration during design stage. As a result, a model is in need to deal with the possible architectural use after the process of decommission. Nuclear is a safe and efficient form of energy that is underutilized because it got a bad reputation due to its perceived dangers. Nuclear accidents were caused by human errors and lack of governance. Comparing the two methods of energy harvesting, nuclear is significantly safer than fossil fuel. Each year, fossil fuel causes 4,000 coal miners to be injured and 24,000 prematurely dies due to lung cancer (black lung disease). On the other hand, nuclear fuel only caused 58 people died at Chernobyl disaster and 4,000 had thyroid cancer which as curable since the start of nuclear energy harvesting. As a result, with proper safety precautions, decommissioned site is feasible for urban renewal.
Architects should have responsibility to deal with the decommissioned site and promote innovative ways to educate people about the potential methods of reusing brownfield sites. By reusing brownfield sites, this prevents human from urbanizing new natural habitats. Innovative ways to reuse site will need to adapt to natural environments and seamlessly blend existing nuclear power plant structures with the landscape to diminish people’s perception of unsafeness by radiation.
I will conduct the following experiment of my thesis at Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant in China. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant opened in 1993, it provides 70% of it’s energy to Hong Kong and 30% to Shenzhen. Designed for a lifespan of 40 years, I have chosen Daya Bay because by 2034 Daya Bay Nuclear Plant’s license will be due. It will most likely be decommissioned due to its aging technology and expensive to renew its license. Once all radioactive fuels and building structure are properly stored and contained, Daya Bay will turn into a ruin. With minimum history, built on a new natural habitat land and specialized in nuclear technology, Daya Bay will not be economically viable for residents living in the community. A proposal to reconnect the community and finding new specialization for the community will benefit the ruin of this site.
Research
Reference (General Information)
(Daya Bay)
(Case Studies)
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Cuba’s unfinished nuclear power plant
Concept of Post Nuclear Revitalization in Chernobyl
Comparison between coal and nuclear power stations
Concept of Post Nuclear Revitalizationin Chernobyl
Daya Bay NPP location and proximity to Shenzhen and Hong Kong