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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Storage and Hybridization of Nuclear Energy |
| Subtitle of host publication | Techno-economic Integration of Renewable and Nuclear Energy |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Pages | 1-20 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128139769 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780128139752 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 26 2018 |
Keywords
- Advanced nuclear fuel cycles
- Advanced nuclear reactors
- Conversion
- Economics
- Enrichment
- Fuel cycles
- Fuel fabrication
- Levelized cost of electricity
- Milling
- Mining
- Reprocessing
- Waste management
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy(all)