First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in operation

Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by pas on Thursday December 28, 2023 @06:46AM (#38792494)

On nuclear construction cost increases, from Crowley and Griffith 1982, “US construction cost rise threatens nuclear option” (via @whatisnuclear):

""" Ironically, some of the decisions that have been made in the name of improving safety margins for low probability events, may have reduced the safety margins for high probability events. The UE&C piping study uncovered numerous areas where the tolerances requested in the piping design documents might be appropriate for a machine shop oriented manufacturing operation, but are totally unrealistic for field construction. """

via https://rootsofprogress.org/links-digest-2023-12-15

The whole quote is worth reading/skimming.

More importantly this zero risk approach has to be considered relative to all the other risks arising from building other types of power plants.

https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy

(and of course a bit more on the problems with the process at the NRC https://thebreakthrough.org/blog/waiting-on-the-nuclear-regu... )

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by goodpoint on Thursday December 28, 2023 @08:58AM (#38793516)

And yet... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_power_accident...

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Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by Fatnino on Thursday December 28, 2023 @12:34PM (#38795939)

Is there a similar list for coal plants?

Also, skimming the list of USA incidents, there are a great deal of bullshit "incidents" in recent times. Most related to natural machanical breakdowns in non radioactive systems due to everything being operated decades past its expiration date. Wouldn't be happening if new NPPs had been built to replace these ancient designs.

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Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by cinntaile on Friday December 29, 2023 @05:14AM (#38803442)

Coal simply does not have the same risk profile so such a list does not exist.

> Wouldn't be happening if new NPPs had been built to replace these ancient designs.

That's possible but the economics have to make sense as well. You would do well to try and extend the lifetime of a NPP and run it as an LTO NPP, this maximises profits if it is possible to run the plant past the lifetime it was originally designed for. Incremental upgrades are the way to go in such a case.

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Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by imtringued on Friday December 29, 2023 @08:44AM (#38804793)

You can literally operate the coal power plant until it falls apart and burns down and nobody gives a damn. Try doing that with a nuclear power plant.

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Re:First new U.S. nuclear reactor since 2016 is now in opera... by pas on Thursday December 28, 2023 @03:04PM (#38797944)

And thus!

This is how a good culture of safety looks like. Treat small stuff seriously to prevent the big bad things. Similarly with aviation, and with medicine, etc.

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