Externality analysis of hydroelectric power plants: The case of Akocak Hydroelectric Power Plant

The world has been inclined towards renewable energy sources to avoid harming the environment and human health while acquiring energy. One of these environmentally safe and human-friendly energy sources is hydroelectric power plant (HPP) projects, which use the power of water to meet the intense demand for energy. With the increasing number of HPPs in recent years, the negative externalities created by these projects are the subject of discussion. The aim of this study is to reveal the negative and positive external effects of HPPs through the example of Akocak HPP. First, the concepts of externality and energy are explained. Also, various domestic and international organizations reports are used to share the observed effects of the status and importance of HPP investments in Turkey's energy production. In the second part, Trabzon Province's aboveground and underground characteristics and its hydroelectric potential are presented. In the third part of the study, exploratory factor analysis and the Cronbach Alpha test are performed to determine the internal consistency and compatibility between the questionnaire items. Subsequently, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is conducted to assess the normal distribution of data, followed by independent samples t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the significance levels of attitudes towards HPP among different survey groups. Where there is a significant difference between the groups, the source of the difference is determined by using the Sidak post hoc test. As a result of the findings, the analyses made using the data obtained from the survey for Akocak HPP reveal that the attitude of the local people towards the HPP is at a moderate level and that approximately 52,4% of the population supports HPP projects.