What is Safety Standards

Nuclear power is one of the sources of energy used or considered as an option by many countries in the Mediterranean as well as in the world. There are several countries in the region that currently have nuclear reactors or are planning to embark on a nuclear power program in the near future. Since the use of nuclear energy, like the other energy sources, has some environmental footprints, identification and assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts of existing and planned nuclear power plants is important with regard to management and conservation of the Mediterranean environment. This chapter describes the interaction of nuclear power plants with the environment and focuses on the environmental impact assessment (EIA) processes conducted in nuclear power programs of the countries in the Mediterranean region.