4 ms·
> Nuclear produces electricity 24/7, independent of weather with no backup required. When the plant is not offline…
by eecc 5y ago
> Nuclear produces electricity 24/7, independent of weather with no backup required.
When the plant is not offline…
- martinflack 5y agoCan't a nuclear energy plant run continuously? (Genuinely asking.)
- coryrc 5y agoThey must be shutdown to be refueled regularly, but it can be planned for.
- epistasis 5y agoRefueling usually takes a long time, minimum three weeks, and a month is common: https://www.outagecalendar.com/ https://www.outagecalendar.com/
- fulafel 5y agoForever? No. For the design life of the reactor? Possibly, for a purpouse designed reactor type. If you want it today, there's the nuclear radioisotope thermoelectric generator, in use since the 50s and used on many spacecraft.
- gadrev 5y agoWhen is it offline? A few days (or weeks) every 12-24 months? I don't think it's a major problem with a network of nuclear plants, you can plan the fuel replacement and have a steady power supply (nationwide). You can control when the downtime happens, unlike in other power sources.
- fulafel 5y agoMuch more often on average for nuclear plants. Avg capacity factor is 83% according to https://www.world-nuclear.org/getmedia/3418bf4a-5891-4ba1-b6c2-d83d8907264d/performance-report-2020-v1.pdf.aspx https://www.world-nuclear.org/getmedia/3418bf4a-5891-4ba1-b6...
- nradov 5y agoObviously the grid needs to have a fleet of base load plants large enough that some can be periodically taken offline for maintenance. This is understood by everyone familiar with the issue and we shouldn't have to keep repeating it. Maintenance schedules also apply to every other type of power plant capable of handling base load.