Rolls-Royve plans to build SMRs in the UK, replacing nuclear plants by 2029

RE: Rolls-Royve plans to build SMRs in the UK, replacing nuclear plants by 2029

paxus — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 16:06:01 GMT

This is a fluff piece. Basically a press release turned into a news story. Importantly, no specifics about cost are mentioned. Just that it will be cheaper because they are modular. Worth pointing out that Westinghouse (baddest reactor maker in the world) went bankrupt perusing modularity. No SMR has come close to conventional reactor cost per kWh. And conventional nuclear is crazy expensive compared to either renewables or fossil fuel.

There is no new technology in SMR, and for 5 decades the conventional wisdom is bigger reactors lead to economies of scale. SMRs exist as a last ditch effort to save reactor construction companies for their military capacity.

They don’t solve the problems of waste, liability, proliferation, accidents and terrorist targets. But we don’t need to get to this part of the list of problems until they make sense financially, which they do not.

RE: Rolls-Royve plans to build SMRs in the UK, replacing nuclear plants by 2029

dubbie — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 11:06:19 GMT

Looks an interesting idea. Hopefully a working example is going to be produced in the not too distant future.

Dubbie

RE: Rolls-Royve plans to build SMRs in the UK, replacing nuclear plants by 2029

Gough Lui — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 21:14:06 GMT

Ahh Rolls-Royve and Roll Royce ... the Chinese cousins of Rolls-Royce!

- Gough

RE: Rolls-Royve plans to build SMRs in the UK, replacing nuclear plants by 2029

three-phase — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 20:57:14 GMT

For information on the plant is available from the Rolls Royce website for anyone that is interested;

Rolls Royce SMR plant

A 60 year nominal life is interesting, I am working on plants 25 - 30 years old that have had to go through protection and control system upgrades to combat obsolescence, fine for lower risk coal / gas facilities but much more onerous to do on a nuclear facility.

I wonder what the staffing requirements will be as well?