https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67939708
Looks like Govt is determined to build another new nuclear plant and also a fuel production facility?
Wylfa perhaps?
New civil nuclear roadmap
New civil nuclear roadmap
Tesla Model 3 Performance
Oversees an 11kWp solar array at work
Oversees an 11kWp solar array at work
Re: New civil nuclear roadmap
There's a number of sites suitable but Wylfa would be amongst the top options, for my own part if I were the UK government I would not be backing EPR or SMR technology but I would be picking from the exiting 3rd generation reactor designs like BWR or PWR options which have better understood build programmes, arguably proven safety cases and operating lifespans (especially PWR's).
In the 80's it took us 8 years to build Heysham stage 2 and Hartlepool (the last pair of AGR's stations) at the same time it took us 15 years to build our first ever PWR. We just about have the experience and knowledge base left in place to build another PWR which should arguably be cheaper and faster because the technology and construction are well understood and there are multiple manufacturers for critical parts in Europe the USA and China and more importantly we have an exiting full safety case accepted and functioning for a PWR which should save 3 years straight off the bat!
New shiny designs are all well and good and they promise great things but tried and tested options offer no surprises and a know productivity and lifespan and are far less risky for investors.
Moxi
In the 80's it took us 8 years to build Heysham stage 2 and Hartlepool (the last pair of AGR's stations) at the same time it took us 15 years to build our first ever PWR. We just about have the experience and knowledge base left in place to build another PWR which should arguably be cheaper and faster because the technology and construction are well understood and there are multiple manufacturers for critical parts in Europe the USA and China and more importantly we have an exiting full safety case accepted and functioning for a PWR which should save 3 years straight off the bat!
New shiny designs are all well and good and they promise great things but tried and tested options offer no surprises and a know productivity and lifespan and are far less risky for investors.
Moxi
Re: New civil nuclear roadmap
Would the existing safety cases apply to a new build or have new build safety requirements moved on?
Re: New civil nuclear roadmap
For existing reactor types their core safety case is already approved, the design changes arising from specific construction would still need to be done but that’s during the build.
Any existing modifications to type for different technologies is rolled out across the world so that reactors are updated where shortfalls are identified in individual cases.
While there was knowledge of EPR’s in the UK the Hinckley C units are first of type so they had to go through assessment by the Regulator.
If we built a magnox agr or pwr or even a fast breeder reactor and worked to an existing uk approved design then we would start a bit further along the track with regard to safety case - not that we should build a high temperature gas cooled graphite moderated reactor of course. The PWR however seems to have longevity on it side even if it’s up to 6% less thermally efficient than its gas cooled counter parts it more than makes up for this in life time extension capability.
BWR’s also seem to have a very long operational life but the UK hasn’t had an operating unit here before so you lose the primary safety case benefits.
I’m not against nuclear and more am I an out and out fan of the waste side of the industry but as this week has shown, we need around 30GW of reliable generators when the wind isn’t available. I would go for hydro and tidal but government fancies nuclear, all I’m saying is they seem to be fixed on the latest shiny reactor of unproven provenance while there’s the dusty but faithful old PWR at the back of the showroom ready to go. The Honda C90 of the reactors if you will.
Moxi
Any existing modifications to type for different technologies is rolled out across the world so that reactors are updated where shortfalls are identified in individual cases.
While there was knowledge of EPR’s in the UK the Hinckley C units are first of type so they had to go through assessment by the Regulator.
If we built a magnox agr or pwr or even a fast breeder reactor and worked to an existing uk approved design then we would start a bit further along the track with regard to safety case - not that we should build a high temperature gas cooled graphite moderated reactor of course. The PWR however seems to have longevity on it side even if it’s up to 6% less thermally efficient than its gas cooled counter parts it more than makes up for this in life time extension capability.
BWR’s also seem to have a very long operational life but the UK hasn’t had an operating unit here before so you lose the primary safety case benefits.
I’m not against nuclear and more am I an out and out fan of the waste side of the industry but as this week has shown, we need around 30GW of reliable generators when the wind isn’t available. I would go for hydro and tidal but government fancies nuclear, all I’m saying is they seem to be fixed on the latest shiny reactor of unproven provenance while there’s the dusty but faithful old PWR at the back of the showroom ready to go. The Honda C90 of the reactors if you will.
Moxi
Re: New civil nuclear roadmap
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techands ... 9547&ei=64
Interesting article which could have significant implications for the civil nuclear programmes of the future, I hope their additional experiments into accuracy of forecasting for other isotopes is as accurate as it has been for Selenium as this would be great news for combating waste stockpiles.
Moxi
Interesting article which could have significant implications for the civil nuclear programmes of the future, I hope their additional experiments into accuracy of forecasting for other isotopes is as accurate as it has been for Selenium as this would be great news for combating waste stockpiles.
Moxi