Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Annals of Nuclear Energy, cilt.230, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Small-scale nuclear reactors represent a promising option for providing reliable and continuous energy in off-grid and isolated regions; however, limited investment budgets necessitate a clear prioritization of project objectives. This study addresses the need to identify the most critical project priorities and the most suitable off-grid energy applications for small-scale nuclear reactor deployments. To this end, a novel decision-making framework is developed by integrating artificial intelligence-based expert weighting with advanced fuzzy modeling techniques to effectively manage uncertainty and incomplete evaluations. The proposed approach enables a systematic assessment of strategic priorities without being tied to a specific reactor technology. The results indicate that security supported by passive safety systems is the most influential project priority, followed by cost effectiveness and operational flexibility. When alternative off-grid applications are evaluated, steady energy supply for rural industry fields emerges as the most appropriate option due to its strong and balanced performance across safety, economic, and operational dimensions. These findings highlight the interdependence between technical design considerations and application-level decisions. Overall, the study provides practical insights for policymakers and project managers by identifying strategic priorities that can enhance the effectiveness, feasibility, and long-term viability of small-scale nuclear energy investments in off-grid contexts.