Re:US Electricity Markets Aren't Designed to Handle 100% Cle...
by lkbm on Tuesday July 02, 2019 @01:01PM
(#20337051)
> It's not expensive, financially, compared to Solar and Wind.
Per-megawatt, it might not cost more but:
1. The upfront investment is high. I can build a 1MW solar installation, or 10MW, or 100MW. Our smallest nuclear plant is around 500MW.
2. It will take many years to build.
3. It will take even longer to fully pay itself off.
Nuclear is fine if you have a massive amount of capital and know the market won't change in the next 50 year. But no rational actor in the energy market is about to bet on that stability when solar is a much more nimble investment that's cost-competitive.
Per-megawatt, it might not cost more but:
1. The upfront investment is high. I can build a 1MW solar installation, or 10MW, or 100MW. Our smallest nuclear plant is around 500MW.
2. It will take many years to build.
3. It will take even longer to fully pay itself off.
Nuclear is fine if you have a massive amount of capital and know the market won't change in the next 50 year. But no rational actor in the energy market is about to bet on that stability when solar is a much more nimble investment that's cost-competitive.