Evaluation of the Effects of Shahid Mofateh Power Plant on Hamedan on the Surrounding Villages

Investigating the impact of infrastructure activities on rural environments has been one of the important issues for rural planners. Among these activities, the consequences of thermal power plants on rural environments have been of great importance. In this regard, this study evaluates the consequences of the Shahid Mofateh power plant in Hamedan on the surrounding villages (villages less than 20 km away from the power plant). The research method is descriptive-analytical using a questionnaire. The sample size of 366 households from 11  villages around the power plant has been determined. The validity of the research was confirmed based on the opinion of geographers and the reliability of the research was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient with a mean of 0.74. Findings from field observations and satellite imagery indicate drought around the plant. The surrounding villages are facing increasing migration due to the overuse of water resources by the power plant. In all economic, social, environmental and physical dimensions, the effects have been mostly negative. Also, there is no significant difference between the components of the research in terms of effectiveness. Also, there is a significant relationship between the distance and the impact of the power plant on the villages at the level of 0.05  and positively, which shows that with increasing the distance, the economic situation of the villages has improved, which indicates the adverse effect of the power plant on the rural economy. Finally, using confirmatory factor analysis, it was found that the conceptual model presented at the beginning of the research is approved.