4 ms·

Another New Nuclear Reactor Energizes U.S. Clean Energy Hopes

10 points by freedude 3y ago

pfdietz 3y ago
"The combination of the improving public perception of nuclear power, political support and funding for new projects, and the willingness of operators to invest in new developments is expected to lead to a resurgence in the U.S. nuclear energy industry." Gotta love the passive voice. Exactly which idiot is expecting this? And which operators are chomping at the bit to buy an AP1000?
nocoiner 3y ago
Were there really a sufficient number of lessons learned during the course of construction that there’s any reason to think that a new AP1000 or unit of similar scale will be constructed anywhere else in the United States? I cannot imagine the industrial base or institutional knowledge is better in 2023 than, say, 10 years ago was when at least Vogtle, Summer and Watts Bar were all under construction. Maybe there’s a future for modular reactors or some other design, but Vogtle seems like a dead end.
HocusLocus 3y ago
The AP1000 is a good design, and China will upscale it (CAP1400) whether the US gets off its ass or not. Check the history of AP1000 including proposed units overseas ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP1000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP1000 ). Yes there has been pain in Georgia (Vogtle) but the pain has been self inflicted, check out the challenges they've faced since 2010. And look at China's record: "One remains under construction at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in the US, and one came online in July 2023. As of 2019, all four Chinese reactors were completed and connected to the grid." Long and short, the AP1000 was the LAST chance to get 1GWe/unit nuclear up and running the the US. People who hate nuclear energy (without saying so) are pushing "small modular reactors" knowing full well that the grid economics will fail. The Church of Environmentalism has granted indulgences to its followers who advocate for "small modular reactors" and "fusion" so they can continue to throw a monkey wrench into clean grid energy. And these are the people who like EVs, go figure. Their grandchildren will be walking.
- pfdietz 3y ago
  Renewables will continue down their experience curves and become cheaper than nuclear ever was or could be. Solar is already providing the cheapest power ever, and scaling it to power the world would drop the cost by another factor of 4, on the historical experience curve. There will be no walking unless people want to.

10 points by freedude 3y ago

"The combination of the improving public perception of nuclear power, political support and funding for new projects, and the willingness of operators to invest in new developments is expected to lead to a resurgence in the U.S. nuclear energy industry." Gotta love the passive voice. Exactly which idiot is expecting this? And which operators are chomping at the bit to buy an AP1000?

nocoiner 3y ago

Were there really a sufficient number of lessons learned during the course of construction that there’s any reason to think that a new AP1000 or unit of similar scale will be constructed anywhere else in the United States? I cannot imagine the industrial base or institutional knowledge is better in 2023 than, say, 10 years ago was when at least Vogtle, Summer and Watts Bar were all under construction. Maybe there’s a future for modular reactors or some other design, but Vogtle seems like a dead end.

HocusLocus 3y ago

The AP1000 is a good design, and China will upscale it (CAP1400) whether the US gets off its ass or not. Check the history of AP1000 including proposed units overseas ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP1000 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP1000 ). Yes there has been pain in Georgia (Vogtle) but the pain has been self inflicted, check out the challenges they've faced since 2010. And look at China's record: "One remains under construction at the Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in the US, and one came online in July 2023. As of 2019, all four Chinese reactors were completed and connected to the grid." Long and short, the AP1000 was the LAST chance to get 1GWe/unit nuclear up and running the the US. People who hate nuclear energy (without saying so) are pushing "small modular reactors" knowing full well that the grid economics will fail. The Church of Environmentalism has granted indulgences to its followers who advocate for "small modular reactors" and "fusion" so they can continue to throw a monkey wrench into clean grid energy. And these are the people who like EVs, go figure. Their grandchildren will be walking.

pfdietz 3y ago
Renewables will continue down their experience curves and become cheaper than nuclear ever was or could be. Solar is already providing the cheapest power ever, and scaling it to power the world would drop the cost by another factor of 4, on the historical experience curve. There will be no walking unless people want to.