3 ms·
> $4 billion is about the cost of one of the new 1.5 GW nuclear power plants, which would generate 12 TWh/year In China maybe, but not in the western world. Th
by pieter 16y ago
> $4 billion is about the cost of one of the new 1.5 GW nuclear power plants, which would generate 12 TWh/year
In China maybe, but not in the western world. The EPR for example, is 1.65GWe, and is projected to cost €6.4 billion, or almost $9 billion in Finland. The one being built in France is now projected at €5 billion ($7 bililon), but may cost more as it'll take another 3 years to complete.
- Havoc 16y agoWhy isn't that gap being arbitraged away? Sure reactors aren't exactly portable, but a 5bn gap surely can't be right. 1. Build reactor pieces in China 4bn 2. Ship over to Finland at 1bn cost 3. Installation 2bn 4. = 2bn profit
- ultrasaurus 16y agoI'd love to see the NIMBY crowd's take on importing a cut-rate Chinese reactor. But surely the electricity itself is fungible. I guess there's no grid connecting China to Finland to arbitrage the power directly (or conceivably no way to build Chinese reactors any faster than domestic demand and imperfect pricing mechanisms).
- derobert 16y agoElectricity itself is hard to move over large distances due to resistive losses. However, energy-intensive industry will move, accomplishing a similar thing.
- derobert 16y agoThe cost differences may be due to required safety features or alternatively due to labor costs. Its a major construction project, after all.
- pieter 16y agoMy guess it's mostly due to regulations and labor / material costs in Finland. Moving a reactor really isn't easy, the things are made of tons of concrete, and need a pretty huge foundation. That said, there probably is a market for portable reactors. However, I'm not sure how happy countries would be with importing a reactor made and filled in China :).