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Utah: 140MW Geothermal bid can beat the cost and performance of the proposed Nuclear SMR

January 27, 2023 by Dennis Wamsted

The U.S. state of Utah is processing an agreement for a new Small Modular Reactor (SMR) to provide baseline and dispatchable power. The SMR bid quotes a price of $89/MWh. But cost overruns will tie the state’s consumers to whatever high prices entail, says Dennis Wamsted at IEEFA. Now a geothermal bid from NV Energy has been presented that offers the same capacity at around $70/MWh. Wamsted explains why the 140MW geothermal project would meet … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Geothermal, Nuclear Tagged With: baseline, costs, dispatchable, electricity, geothermal, Nuclear, prices, renewables, SMR, UAMPS, US, Utah, variable

Small Modular Reactor cost overruns: the same old problems haunt new nuclear in Utah

November 25, 2022 by David Schlissel

Much hope is being placed on Small Modular Reactors (SMR) making new nuclear plants competitive. But David Schlissel at IEEFA summarises their research into the publications, updates and statements coming from the stakeholders involved with the SMR by UAMPS (Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems) and NuScale Power Corporation that shows that costs are going out of control, a persistent problem in the nuclear industry. The original target power … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: construction, costs, delays, electricity, Fluor, grids, Nuclear, NuScale, power, SMR, UAMPS, Utah

Geopolitics and energy security require the U.S. and its allies to lead on Nuclear

October 21, 2022 by Robert Ichord

Combine the current energy crisis with the geopolitical ambitions of Russia and China, and you have your reason for why the U.S. and its allies should prioritise nuclear, argues Robert Ichord at the Atlantic Council. All three nations have well-developed world-leading nuclear sectors. But it’s Russia that has been the largest exporter of nuclear reactors to the world market. Meanwhile, China has the most plants under construction at twenty. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: China, geopolitics, MNR, Nuclear, regulations, research, Russia, security, SMR, US

U.S. can’t hit net-zero power target by 2035 without Advanced Nuclear

July 1, 2021 by Charles Merlin

President Biden’s target of net-zero power generation by 2035 will be extremely challenging, if not impossible, argues Charles Merlin writing for IFRI. He says the best chance of achieving it is through advanced nuclear reactors, though the 2030+ switch-on dates of the new technology still won’t guarantee meeting Biden’s timescales. Why should the U.S. drive for advanced nuclear? Because of the known limitations of the other technologies. Wind … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: CCS, CCUS, coal, electricity, gas, grids, Nuclear, SMR, solar, storage, US, wind

Convolutional neural networks: facial recognition AI applied to analysis and design of Advanced Nuclear Reactors

June 23, 2021 by Dave Bukey

Scientists are looking for new ways to predict how materials survive high temperatures, pressures and corrosion levels, and design new materials that can do so. Temperatures can reach 800 Celsius in parts of solar energy plants and advanced nuclear reactors. Dave Bukey at the Argonne National Laboratory looks at research that uses convolutional neural networks – a type of AI – to uncover patterns in huge data sets. The method is over 2,000 faster … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Innovations, Nuclear Tagged With: AI, design, innovation, MoltenSalt, NeuralNetworks, Nuclear, SMR, solar

Micro-nuclear reactors: up to 20MW, portable, safer

April 22, 2021 by Christina Nunez

Scientists are working on micro-nuclear reactors that are so small they can fit on the back of a truck or a standard 40-foot shipping container, explains Christina Nunez writing for the Argonne National Laboratory. Deliberately small, generating up to 20MW, they could provide zero-carbon power in remote settings or supplement electrical power grid recovery. Another idea would be to locate them on remote highways for re-charging long distance … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: charging, grids, HolosGen, Micro, Military, Nuclear, Oklo, SMR, transport, uranium, Westinghouse

Washington State (U.S.) bill could make it the home for next generation Nuclear

February 8, 2021 by James Conca

Nuclear may soon be getting a boost from Washington State in the north-west of the U.S. There, a bill is being presented to promote the manufacture and deployment of new nuclear reactors. It will provide generous tax incentives to nuclear investments in the state. It’s the sort of support that renewable energy technology is used to, yet nuclear struggles to get because of critics of nuclear energy. That opposition is very frustrating, explains … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: innovation, investment, jobs, Nuclear, NuScale, SMR, subsidies, TerraPower, TerrestrialEnergy, US, Washington, Xenergy

Nuclear: Does the West’s military need Small Modular Reactors?

December 7, 2020 by Lukas TrakimaviÄŤius

The development of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), generating up to 300MW, are already getting support for civilian purposes. The military in Russia, China and the U.S. are also interested. It should reduce the reliance on long fuel supply lines, the defence of which costs lives. SMRs would be factory made and delivered on site. But Lukas TrakimaviÄŤius says many difficult questions must be answered before the West commits to this solution. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Military, NATO, NonProliferation, Nuclear, regulations, Russia, SMR, US

Study identifies causes of soaring Nuclear plant cost overruns

November 27, 2020 by David Chandler

Why does nuclear power cost so much when the technology has had decades to get it right? MIT’s David Chandler explains how researchers there have identified the main causes of the cost overruns in the U.S. It turns out that building new plants by copying existing designs actually costs more. That’s because site-specific constraints mean problems are being fixed during construction, adding to costs and delays. New types of concrete are being … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: construction, costs, design, Nuclear, SMR, SoftCosts

Nuclear in 2020: a global look ahead at policy, financing, politics, by country

January 8, 2020 by Dan Yurman

Dan Yurman presents his worldwide review of nuclear’s prospects. 19 nations are covered. He explains while some countries are planning to scale down nuclear, like South Korea and France, some are increasing investment, like China. Others remain stuck over policy, pricing, financing and politics (e.g. Japan, the U.S.). Exporters of plants, led by Russia, are making moves – not always easily - in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. R&D … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: Canada, China, electricity, France, India, investment, Japan, Nuclear, Poland, policy, Politics, pricing, Russia, SMR, SouthKorea, turkey, UK, US

Rolls Royce wants innovative financing for its first-of-a-kind nuclear SMRs

November 20, 2019 by Dan Yurman

Rolls Royce has made nuclear reactors for decades, small enough to fit inside nuclear submarines. It’s now adapting that expertise for the grid. Dan Yurman runs through the details of the firm's plans, including a look at its first-of-a-kind 440MW technology. Regulatory timescales will be kept short by developing the small modular reactors (SMRs) at existing licensed nuclear sites – with Cumbria and Wales its main targets. Importantly, an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: electricity, financing, investment, Nuclear, regulations, Rolls Royce, SMR

Small Modular Reactors: interview with NuScale’s Jose Reyes

June 10, 2019 by Dan Yurman

Dan Yurman has interviewed the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of NuScale Power, Jose Reyes. NuScale designs and markets small modular reactors (SMRs). Its NuScale Power Module can generate 60 MW: small units, alone or combined, can suit a far wider range of energy demand than standard reactors that deliver hundreds of MWs at a minimum. The comprehensive interview covers international and U.S. developments, including plans to commence … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: Canada, jobs, Jordan, Nuclear, NuScale, Romania, SMR, UAMPS, UK, US

SMR reactors: questions the “new nuclear” industry needs to answer

April 18, 2019 by Dan Yurman

The new energy world is full of ambition about future developments, not least nuclear. At some point hard questions have to be asked and answered. Dan Yurman is asking questions about next generation Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). For example, why take on the unknown material and regulatory risk of SMRs over the known risks of proven LWRs? Which governments and/or investors will back the $500m needed to get an SMR into production? Where are the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: Canada, China, HTGR, LWR, molten salt, Nuclear, Russia, SMR, South Korea, U.K., U.S.

Next generation nuclear: 25MW, smaller, safer, can be sited anywhere

April 10, 2019 by Dan Yurman

Dan Yurman looks at plans for Small and Micro Nuclear Reactors. A UK report on Micros that generate 30MW says it’s an opportunity for the country to own the IP and export units that are simple in design, factory constructed and capable of being sited in remote locations. Given the rough ride nuclear can get, the report warns that progress will depend on political, regulatory and financial support. Meanwhile, in the US, Westinghouse will have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Nuclear Tagged With: Atomic Acquisitions, Micro, Nuclear, Nuvia, SMR, Westinghouse, WSP

Most read this week

  • Biofuel is approaching a feedstock crunch. How bad? And what must be done? by IEA | posted on January 23, 2023
  • EU ETS and CBAM: what the big update to emissions trading rules means for Europe’s key sectors by Simon Göss | posted on January 16, 2023
  • Can Aluminium-air batteries outperform Li-ion for EVs? by Helena Uhde | posted on September 8, 2021
  • Gravity Batteries: any nation can do it at scale using rocks by Simon Read | posted on July 27, 2022
  • 10 Carbon Capture methods compared: costs, scalability, permanence, cleanness by Ella Adlen | posted on November 11, 2019
  • Micro-nuclear reactors: up to 20MW, portable, safer by Christina Nunez | posted on April 22, 2021
  • EU Energy Outlook to 2060: how will power prices and revenues develop for wind, solar, gas, hydrogen + more by Alex Schmitt | posted on December 6, 2022
  • Europe needs a Regional Green Bank to fulfil its Green Deal and match the U.S. by Esmeralda Colombo | posted on January 20, 2023
  • Concrete: 8% of global emissions and rising. Which innovations can achieve net zero by 2050? by Ben Skinner | posted on January 24, 2023
  • How to sell Heat Pumps to the public in Europe by Helena Uhde | posted on January 19, 2023
  • Hydrogen production in 2050: how much water will 74EJ need? by Herib Blanco | posted on July 22, 2021
  • Twenty-first century energy wars: how oil and gas are fuelling global conflicts by Michael T. Klare | posted on July 15, 2014
  • What’s stopping even bigger Wind Turbines? Blade speed and flexing? More likely manufacturing and installation capacity by Simon Hogg | posted on January 18, 2023
  • What’s best for Hydrogen transport: ammonia, liquid hydrogen, LOHC or pipelines? by Herib Blanco | posted on May 5, 2022
  • Making Hydrogen will consume 2% of total global renewable capacity growth by 2027 by IEA | posted on January 17, 2023
  • EU energy ministers unable to agree on biofuels policy by Karel Beckman | posted on December 15, 2013
  • Why hydrogen fuel cell cars are not competitive — from a hydrogen fuel cell expert by Zachary Shahan | posted on June 17, 2016
  • Smart Glasses: experts can monitor and advise on power plant inspections anywhere in the world by Christoph Gatzen | posted on January 25, 2023
  • The 10 big problems with simply replacing fossil cars with electric by Schalk Cloete | posted on December 6, 2021
  • Make Hydrogen in developing nations: share prosperity while meeting our climate goals by Dolf Gielen | posted on January 26, 2023

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Recent Posts

Utah: 140MW Geothermal bid can beat the cost and performance of the proposed Nuclear SMR

Make Hydrogen in developing nations: share prosperity while meeting our climate goals

Smart Glasses: experts can monitor and advise on power plant inspections anywhere in the world

Concrete: 8% of global emissions and rising. Which innovations can achieve net zero by 2050?

Biofuel is approaching a feedstock crunch. How bad? And what must be done?

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