The Attitudes of Local People Towards Hydropower Plant: a Case Study From Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes of the population living in Yusufeli district of Artvin province to hydropower plants and the socio-demographic and intellectual factors affecting the hydropower plants' usefulness to the region. The main material of the study is the survey data with 140 people. The factors affecting the usefulness of hydropower plants to the region were analyzed by logistic regression method. In the study, the average age of individuals is 50.18, 45.0% of individuals are planning to migrate and 35.7% think that hydropower plants are beneficial to the region. According to the results of the regression analysis; as income level increases, a positive relationship was found between the individuals with primary school degree, believing that Turkey's dependence on foreign energy would be reduced by hydropower plants and a sufficient amount of water would be left for the protection of rivers and the idea that hydropower plants are beneficial to the region and, a negative relationship was found between farmers and the ones planning to migrate and the idea that hydropower plants are beneficial to the region. According to these results, the fact that the policymakers provide new agricultural lands that substitute for flooded agricultural land to farmers in regions where hydropower plants will be installed can ensure that farmers can continue agricultural production and thus contribute to the reduction of migration in the region.