Input-Output Analysis and Economic Models for Small Modular Reactors

Input-Output Analysis and Economic Models for Small Modular Reactors PDF Author: David Solan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 7

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Book Description
A team of researchers developed the first U.S. economic input-output analysis model and resulting impacts for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in 2009-2010. The team sought to answer the question, “What are the potential impacts of the manufacture, construction, and operation of SMRs in the U.S. through 2030?" The resulting study was published as a report by the Center for Advanced Energy Studies' Energy Policy Institute as Economic and Employment Impacts of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (2010). The report was first presented by members of the team in Washington D.C. at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has regularly used the report as a benchmark in public presentations regarding SMRs, and economic impacts were a required element in proposals responding to the $452 million Funding Opportunity Announcement for DOE to provide Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing and design certification support for the first SMR designs.

Input-Output Analysis and Economic Models for Small Modular Reactors

Input-Output Analysis and Economic Models for Small Modular Reactors PDF Author: David Solan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 7

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Book Description
A team of researchers developed the first U.S. economic input-output analysis model and resulting impacts for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in 2009-2010. The team sought to answer the question, “What are the potential impacts of the manufacture, construction, and operation of SMRs in the U.S. through 2030?" The resulting study was published as a report by the Center for Advanced Energy Studies' Energy Policy Institute as Economic and Employment Impacts of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (2010). The report was first presented by members of the team in Washington D.C. at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has regularly used the report as a benchmark in public presentations regarding SMRs, and economic impacts were a required element in proposals responding to the $452 million Funding Opportunity Announcement for DOE to provide Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing and design certification support for the first SMR designs.

An Economic Analysis of Generation IV Small Modular Reactors

An Economic Analysis of Generation IV Small Modular Reactors PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This report examines some conditions necessary for Generation IV Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to be competitive in the world energy market. The key areas that make nuclear reactors an attractive choice for investors are reviewed, and a cost model based on the ideal conditions is developed. Recommendations are then made based on the output of the cost model and on conditions and tactics that have proven successful in other industries. The Encapsulated Nuclear Heat Source (ENHS), a specific SMR design concept, is used to develop the cost model and complete the analysis because information about the ENHS design is readily available from the University of California at Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Department. However, the cost model can be used to analyze any of the current SMR designs being considered. On the basis of our analysis, we determined that the nuclear power industry can benefit from and SMRs can become competitive in the world energy market if a combination of standardization and simplification of orders, configuration, and production are implemented. This would require wholesale changes in the way SMRs are produced, manufactured and regulated, but nothing that other industries have not implemented and proven successful.

Input-Output Models for Sustainable Industrial Systems

Input-Output Models for Sustainable Industrial Systems PDF Author: Raymond R. Tan
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9811318735
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 158

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Book Description
This book addresses the specialized topic of input–output models for sustainable industrial systems. While these models are well-established tools for economic analysis, their underlying mathematical structure is also applicable to the analysis and optimization of a wide range of systems that are characterized by linear interdependencies among their components. This means that input–output models can be used for diverse networks, such as processes within industrial plants, industrial plants in a supply chain, or departmental units within an organization. The models can also be readily extended to interactions between man-made systems and the environment, e.g. flows of natural resources and/or pollutants. Furthermore, model variants with excess degrees of freedom can be formulated to allow optimization and decision-making to be integrated within the framework. This book examines how input–output models can be applied to sustainable industrial systems. Each major variant is discussed separately in a dedicated chapter, and representative case studies and supporting LINGO code are also included.

The Economics of Small Modular Reactors at Coal Sites

The Economics of Small Modular Reactors at Coal Sites PDF Author: Eric Wieser
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In this analysis we will examine the economic costs and benefits of building dozens of SMRs on recently retired coal power plant (CPP) sites across Texas to determine the viability of a grid or “program-level” approach to nuclear power plant (NPP) planning in the United States. Previous studies have indicated that utilizing stranded infrastructure assets at retired CPPs, known as the “coal-to-nuclear” (C2N) transition, could greatly reduce the amount of time and capital required to build just a single commercial SMR NPP. A discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis was created using data from regional electricity markets, C2N studies, and other industry sources to measure the potential value of SMR projects. The analysis includes multiple scenarios to account for varying project sizes, changes in technology learning rates, and recently implemented energy tax credits. Results indicate that changing the rate of learning has a minimal effect on the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) up until a certain point, after which both the learning rate and LCOE plateau. The most significant cost reductions came as a result of tax credits and C2N cost enhancements, lower estimated to LCOE to a competitive range of $36-46/MWh. Program-level benefits will likely be the result of cost sharing and risk modularization rather than direct improvement in metrics like LCOE and net present value

Development of the Mathematics of Learning Curve Models for Evaluating Small Modular Reactor Economics

Development of the Mathematics of Learning Curve Models for Evaluating Small Modular Reactor Economics PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The cost of nuclear power is a straightforward yet complicated topic. It is straightforward in that the cost of nuclear power is a function of the cost to build the nuclear power plant, the cost to operate and maintain it, and the cost to provide fuel for it. It is complicated in that some of those costs are not necessarily known, introducing uncertainty into the analysis. For large light water reactor (LWR)-based nuclear power plants, the uncertainty is mainly contained within the cost of construction. The typical costs of operations and maintenance (O&M), as well as fuel, are well known based on the current fleet of LWRs. However, the last currently operating reactor to come online was Watts Bar 1 in May 1996; thus, the expected construction costs for gigawatt (GW)-class reactors in the United States are based on information nearly two decades old. Extrapolating construction, O&M, and fuel costs from GW-class LWRs to LWR-based small modular reactors (SMRs) introduces even more complication. The per-installed-kilowatt construction costs for SMRs are likely to be higher than those for the GW-class reactors based on the property of the economy of scale. Generally speaking, the economy of scale is the tendency for overall costs to increase slower than the overall production capacity. For power plants, this means that doubling the power production capacity would be expected to cost less than twice as much. Applying this property in the opposite direction, halving the power production capacity would be expected to cost more than half as much. This can potentially make the SMRs less competitive in the electricity market against the GW-class reactors, as well as against other power sources such as natural gas and subsidized renewables. One factor that can potentially aid the SMRs in achieving economic competitiveness is an economy of numbers, as opposed to the economy of scale, associated with learning curves. The basic concept of the learning curve is that the more a new process is repeated, the more efficient the process can be made. Assuming that efficiency directly relates to cost means that the more a new process is repeated successfully and efficiently, the less costly the process can be made. This factor ties directly into the factory fabrication and modularization aspect of the SMR paradigm—manufacturing serial, standardized, identical components for use in nuclear power plants can allow the SMR industry to use the learning curves to predict and optimize deployment costs.

Status Report on Modeling and Analysis of Small Modular Reactor Economics

Status Report on Modeling and Analysis of Small Modular Reactor Economics PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This report describes the work performed to generate the model for SMR economic analysis. The model is based on the G4-ECONS calculation tool developed for the Generation IV International Forum (GIF).

Advanced Small Modular Reactor Economics Model Development

Advanced Small Modular Reactor Economics Model Development PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's Advanced Small Modular Reactor (SMR) research and development activities focus on four key areas: Developing assessment methods for evaluating advanced SMR technologies and characteristics; and Developing and testing of materials, fuels and fabrication techniques; and Resolving key regulatory issues identified by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and industry; and Developing advanced instrumentation and controls and human-machine interfaces. This report focuses on development of assessment methods to evaluate advanced SMR technologies and characteristics. Specifically, this report describes the expansion and application of the economic modeling effort at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Analysis of the current modeling methods shows that one of the primary concerns for the modeling effort is the handling of uncertainty in cost estimates. Monte Carlo-based methods are commonly used to handle uncertainty, especially when implemented by a stand-alone script within a program such as Python or MATLAB. However, a script-based model requires each potential user to have access to a compiler and an executable capable of handling the script. Making the model accessible to multiple independent analysts is best accomplished by implementing the model in a common computing tool such as Microsoft Excel. Excel is readily available and accessible to most system analysts, but it is not designed for straightforward implementation of a Monte Carlo-based method. Using a Monte Carlo algorithm requires in-spreadsheet scripting and statistical analyses or the use of add-ons such as Crystal Ball. An alternative method uses propagation of error calculations in the existing Excel-based system to estimate system cost uncertainty. This method has the advantage of using Microsoft Excel as is, but it requires the use of simplifying assumptions. These assumptions do not necessarily bring into question the analytical results. In fact, the analysis shows that the propagation of error method introduces essentially negligible error, especially when compared to the uncertainty associated with some of the estimates themselves. The results of these uncertainty analyses generally quantify and identify the sources of uncertainty in the overall cost estimation. The obvious generalization--that capital cost uncertainty is the main driver--can be shown to be an accurate generalization for the current state of reactor cost analysis. However, the detailed analysis on a component-by-component basis helps to demonstrate which components would benefit most from research and development to decrease the uncertainty, as well as which components would benefit from research and development to decrease the absolute cost.

Nuclear Small Modular Reactors

Nuclear Small Modular Reactors PDF Author: Maryam Rasti
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
The U.S. nuclear industry experience is fraught with excessive cost overruns and schedule delays. Nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs) could potentially mitigate this problem with smaller, simpler reactor designs that can be produced in a factory and transported to the final site for installation. Previous economic analyses incorporate significant cost reductions attributed to the shift from stick-build to modular construction. This analysis attempts to provide a more realistic assessment of SMR economic viability by utilizing conservative assumptions in a top-down cost estimation and discounted cash flow analysis. An overnight construction cost of 6,918 $/kW is determined by applying scaling factors to reference cost data for a typical Westinghouse four-loop pressurized water reactor (PWR-12). Two metrics are used to evaluate competitiveness: net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). Results indicate that NPV is negative for all SMR project scenarios in competitive electricity markets. The lowest achievable LCOE is 66.79 $/MWh with an overnight construction cost of 4,770 $/kW, five year lead-time, 7.32% discount rate, and 10% capital cost reduction due to learning improvements. The LCOE calculated for a conventional natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) facility with the same nameplate capacity is 55.90 $/MWh for comparison. Results show that the most optimistic SMR conditions only become competitive with NGCC in a high natural gas price or a high carbon tax scenario (52 $/ton CO2)

Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors

Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors PDF Author: Daniel T. Ingersoll
Publisher: Woodhead Publishing
ISBN: 0128239174
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 648

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Book Description
Handbook of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, Second Edition is a fully updated comprehensive reference on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which reflects the latest research and technological advances in the field from the last five years. Editors Daniel T. Ingersoll and Mario D. Carelli, along with their team of expert contributors, combine their wealth of collective experience to update this comprehensive handbook that provides the reader with all required knowledge on SMRs, expanding on the rapidly growing interest and development of SMRs around the globe. This book begins with an introduction to SMRs for power generation, an overview of international developments, and an analysis of Integral Pressurized Water Reactors as a popular class of SMRs. The second part of the book is dedicated to SMR technologies, including physics, components, I&C, human-system interfaces and safety aspects. Part three discusses the implementation of SMRs, covering economic factors, construction methods, hybrid energy systems and licensing considerations. The fourth part of the book provides an in-depth analysis of SMR R&D and deployment of SMRs within eight countries, including the United States, Republic of Korea, Russia, China, Argentina, and Japan. This edition includes brand new content on the United Kingdom and Canada, where interests in SMRs have increased considerably since the first edition was published. The final part of the book adds a new analysis of the global SMR market and concludes with a perspective on SMR benefits to developing economies. This authoritative and practical handbook benefits engineers, designers, operators, and regulators working in nuclear energy, as well as academics and graduate students researching nuclear reactor technologies. Presents the latest research on SMR technologies and global developments Includes new case study chapters on the United Kingdom and Canada and a chapter on global SMR markets Discusses new technologies such as floating SMRs and molten salt SMRs

Advanced Small Modular Reactor Economics Status Report

Advanced Small Modular Reactor Economics Status Report PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
This report describes the data collection work performed for an advanced small modular reactor (AdvSMR) economics analysis activity at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The methodology development and analytical results are described in separate, stand-alone documents as listed in the references. The economics analysis effort for the AdvSMR program combines the technical and fuel cycle aspects of advanced (non-light water reactor [LWR]) reactors with the market and production aspects of SMRs. This requires the collection, analysis, and synthesis of multiple unrelated and potentially high-uncertainty data sets from a wide range of data sources. Further, the nature of both economic and nuclear technology analysis requires at least a minor attempt at prediction and prognostication, and the far-term horizon for deployment of advanced nuclear systems introduces more uncertainty. Energy market uncertainty, especially the electricity market, is the result of the integration of commodity prices, demand fluctuation, and generation competition, as easily seen in deregulated markets. Depending on current or projected values for any of these factors, the economic attractiveness of any power plant construction project can change yearly or quarterly. For long-lead construction projects such as nuclear power plants, this uncertainty generates an implied and inherent risk for potential nuclear power plant owners and operators. The uncertainty in nuclear reactor and fuel cycle costs is in some respects better understood and quantified than the energy market uncertainty. The LWR-based fuel cycle has a long commercial history to use as its basis for cost estimation, and the current activities in LWR construction provide a reliable baseline for estimates for similar efforts. However, for advanced systems, the estimates and their associated uncertainties are based on forward-looking assumptions for performance after the system has been built and has achieved commercial operation. Advanced fuel materials and fabrication costs have large uncertainties based on complexities of operation, such as contact-handled fuel fabrication versus remote handling, or commodity availability. Thus, this analytical work makes a good faith effort to quantify uncertainties and provide qualifiers, caveats, and explanations for the sources of these uncertainties. The overall result is that this work assembles the necessary information and establishes the foundation for future analyses using more precise data as nuclear technology advances.