4 ms·

Why can't we just use candu reactors and pebble bed reactors. They are proven technology made by American allies and work really well. The cost overruns always

by kjrose 5y ago

Why can't we just use candu reactors and pebble bed reactors. They are proven technology made by American allies and work really well. The cost overruns always come from demanding we have to come up with a novel way to do it.

toomuchtodo 5y ago
We could if Canada would build them at the border and sell the power to US grids. The Northeast US already imports clean hydro and nuclear from Ontario, for example, and Canada could use the revenue to replace the oil and gas revenue from tar sands wind downs. Most of the US south has enough wind and solar potential to avoid needing such a solution. Texas could be a net exporter to other US grids and Mexico if ERCOT gets its act together and upgrades the interconnectors between other grids, not to mention the vast solar potential of the US Southwest.
- kjrose 5y ago
  60% of Ontario capacity is already nuclear and they sell it to the US. So in a way they are already doing this. Just not to the degree they probably should.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - throw0101a 5y ago
    If anyone is curious about the actual (real-time) numbers, go to this page† and click on the "Supply" tab: * https://www.ieso.ca/power-data https://www.ieso.ca/power-data Nuclear chugs along with the base load at 9000 to 9500 MW, next biggest is hydro with between 3000 and 5000MW (with some deep troughs at 2500). Wind is the third-biggest, but is very variable: it tends to peak where hydro troughs (2500). Natgas comes along every so often Ontario retired all of its coal plants several years ago. If I had a magic want in Ontario I'd say we should build another 2000-2500 nuclear plant, which would take care of some of the base load that hydro is handling. Then hydro would be more free to handle the variable load, and we could reduce/remove natgas. Various CSV and XML files available with historical data: * https://www.ieso.ca/en/Power-Data/Data-Directory https://www.ieso.ca/en/Power-Data/Data-Directory †Site run by the Independent Electricity System Operator (Ontario's grid).
    - kjrose 5y ago
      Yeah I found out about these numbers when I was reviewing the policy book for the Alberta chamber of commerce.
    - throw0101a 5y ago
      If anyone really wants to get into the numbers, you can see the output on a per generator basis: * https://www.sygration.com/gendata/today.html https://www.sygration.com/gendata/today.html
- throw0101a 5y ago
  > The Northeast US already imports clean hydro and nuclear from Ontario Hydro probably more from Quebec, but Ontario exports as well. (Source: I live in Ontario.)
pfdietz 5y ago
Ontario put out for bids for new nuclear plants a decade ago. The newest CANDU reactor came in 3x what they were looking for. It's simply not competitive. https://www.thestar.com/business/2009/07/14/26b_cost_killed_nuclear_bid.html https://www.thestar.com/business/2009/07/14/26b_cost_killed_... Going forward, Canada will likely go with some combination of wind and hydro. There is enormous hydro capacity in Canada, and it pairs very naturally with wind. There are good wind resources in many places east of the Rockies in Canada, especially Quebec (near large hydro resources) and around Hudson Bay. https://aws-dewi.ul.com/assets/Wind-Resource-Map-CANADA-11x171.pdf https://aws-dewi.ul.com/assets/Wind-Resource-Map-CANADA-11x1...
euroderf 5y ago
The problem with PBMRs was sposta be the possibility of a graphite fire. I got the impression that there is fear that nobody actually knows how to put one out. I do not know whether this is still a concern.

by kjrose 5y ago

toomuchtodo 5y ago

We could if Canada would build them at the border and sell the power to US grids. The Northeast US already imports clean hydro and nuclear from Ontario, for example, and Canada could use the revenue to replace the oil and gas revenue from tar sands wind downs. Most of the US south has enough wind and solar potential to avoid needing such a solution. Texas could be a net exporter to other US grids and Mexico if ERCOT gets its act together and upgrades the interconnectors between other grids, not to mention the vast solar potential of the US Southwest.

kjrose 5y ago
60% of Ontario capacity is already nuclear and they sell it to the US. So in a way they are already doing this. Just not to the degree they probably should.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- throw0101a 5y ago
  If anyone is curious about the actual (real-time) numbers, go to this page† and click on the "Supply" tab: * https://www.ieso.ca/power-data https://www.ieso.ca/power-data Nuclear chugs along with the base load at 9000 to 9500 MW, next biggest is hydro with between 3000 and 5000MW (with some deep troughs at 2500). Wind is the third-biggest, but is very variable: it tends to peak where hydro troughs (2500). Natgas comes along every so often Ontario retired all of its coal plants several years ago. If I had a magic want in Ontario I'd say we should build another 2000-2500 nuclear plant, which would take care of some of the base load that hydro is handling. Then hydro would be more free to handle the variable load, and we could reduce/remove natgas. Various CSV and XML files available with historical data: * https://www.ieso.ca/en/Power-Data/Data-Directory https://www.ieso.ca/en/Power-Data/Data-Directory †Site run by the Independent Electricity System Operator (Ontario's grid).
  - kjrose 5y ago
    Yeah I found out about these numbers when I was reviewing the policy book for the Alberta chamber of commerce.
  - throw0101a 5y ago
    If anyone really wants to get into the numbers, you can see the output on a per generator basis: * https://www.sygration.com/gendata/today.html https://www.sygration.com/gendata/today.html
throw0101a 5y ago
> The Northeast US already imports clean hydro and nuclear from Ontario Hydro probably more from Quebec, but Ontario exports as well. (Source: I live in Ontario.)

pfdietz 5y ago

Ontario put out for bids for new nuclear plants a decade ago. The newest CANDU reactor came in 3x what they were looking for. It's simply not competitive. https://www.thestar.com/business/2009/07/14/26b_cost_killed_nuclear_bid.html https://www.thestar.com/business/2009/07/14/26b_cost_killed_... Going forward, Canada will likely go with some combination of wind and hydro. There is enormous hydro capacity in Canada, and it pairs very naturally with wind. There are good wind resources in many places east of the Rockies in Canada, especially Quebec (near large hydro resources) and around Hudson Bay. https://aws-dewi.ul.com/assets/Wind-Resource-Map-CANADA-11x171.pdf https://aws-dewi.ul.com/assets/Wind-Resource-Map-CANADA-11x1...

euroderf 5y ago

The problem with PBMRs was sposta be the possibility of a graphite fire. I got the impression that there is fear that nobody actually knows how to put one out. I do not know whether this is still a concern.