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A fully nuclear grid probably wouldn't make sense. France has a 60-70% nuclear electricity grid and manages just fine. Some of their reactors use grey rods whic
by VBprogrammer 5y ago
A fully nuclear grid probably wouldn't make sense. France has a 60-70% nuclear electricity grid and manages just fine. Some of their reactors use grey rods which can be inserted into the core which have less effect than the normal control rods but don't distort the shape of the reaction as much as a partially inserted rod.
- Gwypaas 5y agoWith a capacity factor of about 70% [1]. Compared to for example the US at 93.7%. That difference of 23% has to be taken out over the top of the already high cost of nuclear, which as we can see here still lose money at the higher level. [1]: https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-pr...
- caoilte 5y agoFrance has all sorts of problems and their grid would break regularly if they couldn't import energy during the Summer when their cooling water sources get too hot and they have to shut down all their reactors.
- revax 5y agoMore specifically, the water become too hot to be released in a river without impacting the bio-environment, not all plants have this issue.
- VBprogrammer 5y agoThat's a completely separate issue. It would also be common to all thermoelectric powerplants placed in the same locations. All sources of power can have engineering challenges. Like the recent Texas blackouts where equipment related to the gas supply stopped due to the cold weather.
- onenukecourse 5y ago"It would also be common to all thermoelectric powerplants placed in the same locations." Common, but not the same. Nuclear power work efficiency (30-40%?) is typically lower than a gas turbine plant (60%?). So electrical watt for electrical watt, the nukes need far more cooling water.