Impossibly large reactors

A balanced article in The Ecologist reflects a view that European or Evolutionary Pressurised Reactors (EPR) are so large that the steel reactor vessels are difficult to build.

There is much in the EPR concept which is to be commended in terms of safety and efficiency, but the reactors are just too big.  None of the waste heat can be used because the units are sited miles away from population centres.  Existing builds in France, China, and Finland are behind schedule.  There will be a late return on investment.

Compare that to small modular reactors (SMR) which can be built alongside each other, rather like many boiler rigs.  As soon as a unit is installed it can begin working to produce income and funding for its successors.

If these SMRs were designed to produce heat and/or electricity for their local communities we would be onto a winner.  Much of our existing mega power station thinking is for base load rather than flexibility.  Nuclear power supplementing renewables would be ideal.

My second novel includes the genesis of such a design.

Here's to realistic futuristic thinking,

Elder Adok

At last reactor size is in the news

Fantastic news! Small nuclear reactors have made headlines this week, and I've discovered a great source of information on them. The World Nuclear Association (WNA)

points out that "Generally, modern small reactors for power generation are expected to have greater simplicity of design, economy of mass production, and reduced siting costs. Most are also designed for a high level of passive or inherent safety in the event of malfunction. Also many are designed to be emplaced below ground level, giving a high resistance to terrorist threats." © WNA; here are the full details

After his sacking from government Owen Paterson has spoken freely and put small reactors on the agenda; that's good but I strongly disagree with his assertion that carbon dioxide emissions are not affecting our planet. Nuclear power is environmentally responsible.

Here's to safe cheap local nuclear power.

Elder Adok

Let's talk about reactor size.

Original 10/2014 post updated 03/2016

As far as I know none of the political parties have talked seriously about what type of nuclear power plant we should be building. They are out of step, considering yesteryear's technology.

The industry is seriously developing small modular reactors that could be built in a factory and transported to site. For example look at Nuscalepower. We seem to have a fetish for large reactors which are grossly inefficient because they produce poor steam conditions (temperature and pressure are too low) and send waste heat into the environment rather than using it for district heating.

Please can we talk about alternatives to these monsters? My second novel in the Buffalo Future series considers small local generation to be an excellent choice for power stations. It will be published in 2016.