Storage and Hybridization of Nuclear Energy

Techno-economic Integration of Renewable and Nuclear Energy

Hitesh Bindra, Shripad Revankar

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9780128139769
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Energy

Storage and Hybridization of Nuclear Energy: Techno-economic Integration of Renewable and Nuclear Energy provides a unique analysis of the storage and hybridization of nuclear and renewable energy. Editor Bindra and his team of expert contributors present various global methodologies to obtain the techno-economic feasibility of the integration of storage or hybrid cycles in nuclear power plants. Aimed at those studying, researching and working in the nuclear engineering field, this book offers nuclear reactor technology vendors, nuclear utilities workers and regulatory commissioners a very unique resource on how to access reliable, flexible and clean energy from variable-generation.

• Presents a unique view on the technologies and systems available to integrate renewables and nuclear energy
• Provides insights into the different methodologies and technologies currently available for the storage of energy
• Includes case studies from well-known experts working on specific integration concepts around the world

Chapter One

Economics of Advanced Reactors and Fuel Cycles

Kathryn D. Huff⁎ ^⁎ University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States

Abstract

Many dynamic factors influence nuclear reactor and fuel cycle economics. Policies affecting electricity pricing influence nuclear power revenues at a fundamental level. However, costs are also an important part of the equation. In current reactors and their associated fuel cycles, costs of construction capital as well as operation and maintenance increasingly dominate the economics of nuclear power. Advanced reactor designs and fuel cycle choices can impact these costs both positively and negatively. While fuel cycle advancements also impact fuel costs, this component has limited impact on the overall cost of nuclear electricity production. If advanced reactors can offer very high heats appropriate for industrial processing or can offer load following behavior, then they may become more feasible than the current fleet.

Keywords

Economics; Advanced nuclear reactors; Advanced nuclear fuel cycles; Fuel cycles; Waste management; Enrichment; Mining; Milling; Conversion; Fuel fabrication; Reprocessing; Levelized cost of electricity

1.1 Introduction to Nuclear Power Economics

This chapter first introduces fundamental concepts in nuclear power economics, including a brief overview of the nuclear fuel cycle, electricity pricing, and calculation of the levelized cost of electricity. The impacts of capital costs are then covered, with special attention paid to financing, technical maturity, regulatory costs, and uncertainty inherent in advanced reactor builds. Trends in costing and pricing covered in the previous chapter impact these economics and will be touched on here as well.

Classes of advanced reactors and their particular distinguishing features will be discussed, with particular focus on variations in fuel management and economics. Finally, the economics of various advanced fuel cycles will be introduced and compared. Finally, comparative economic fe...