Isn't the point that it makes no financial sense to ever turn it down?
You still need the same number of staff supervising. Still the same interest costs on the huge bank loan to build it. Still the same maintenance intervals, etc.
Might as well leave it at full power if there is any use whatsoever for the produced energy. Even if there isn't, using the energy to warm up the ocean avoids thermal cycling of the reactor core and therefore reduces maintenance.
I always thought nuclear was an all or nothing. Massive thermal inertia and hours days? to fully come online from cold start. Even if it is not coming up form cold start, this type of power balancing is new to me.
This should kill combined cycle role in the electricity mix to counterbalance renewables swings ? am I missing something ?
Isn't the point that it makes no financial sense to ever turn it down?
You still need the same number of staff supervising. Still the same interest costs on the huge bank loan to build it. Still the same maintenance intervals, etc.
Might as well leave it at full power if there is any use whatsoever for the produced energy. Even if there isn't, using the energy to warm up the ocean avoids thermal cycling of the reactor core and therefore reduces maintenance.
I always thought nuclear was an all or nothing. Massive thermal inertia and hours days? to fully come online from cold start. Even if it is not coming up form cold start, this type of power balancing is new to me.
This should kill combined cycle role in the electricity mix to counterbalance renewables swings ? am I missing something ?
https://archive.is/mMANE