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Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite... by natmaka on Sunday March 13, 2022 @08:04AM (#30660506)
Even nuclear needs fossil-fuel backup, as building enough reactors to cope with peak demand would be way, way too expensive.

Even a massively-nuclearized France produces 7% to 12% of its gridpower thanks to fossil-fuel plants.

French official historical data: https://www.statistiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/editi...

Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite... by Manuel_D on Sunday March 13, 2022 @12:41PM (#30662959)
Nuclear plants can modulate power by more aggressively cooling the reactor. They don't do this because it's effectively wasting nuclear energy, but it can be done.
Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite... by natmaka on Sunday March 13, 2022 @11:08PM (#30668140)
There are safety-related limits (power modulation proportion, duration of a pause needed after each modulation, modulations frequency...), and the very combustible status is a major parameter.

Pertinent document (French ahead!): https://new.sfen.org/rgn/expertise-nucleaire-francaise-suivi...

« un réacteur peut varier de 100 % à 20 % de puissance en une demi-heure, et remonter aussi vite après un palier d’au moins deux heures, et ce deux fois par jour »

Proposed translation: "a reactor power output can vary from 100% to 20% in 30 minutes, then after 2 hours can go back to 100% at the same speed, and can cycle this way 2 times per day".

This is quite a good performance when it comes to load-following (French engineers are very good at this), however it is insufficient in the real world (save any ridiculously expensive over-provision of nuclear reactor, most idling) and very weak compared to gas turbines performances.

Re:Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite... by ncmncm on Sunday March 13, 2022 @07:57PM (#30667028)
It can be done, but amounts to decreased utilization, and even greater relative incremental cost, because actual operating cost is the same either way. With nukes already the highest-cost choice, intermittent demand makes them even more impractical.