Utah Considering Nuclear Power Plants - Is it Feasible?

[BHopkins]

An article on one of the Utah news sites quotes the Utah governor, as recommending that Utah needs to consider nuclear power plants, to provide for our future power demand in the state.

I'm all for more nuclear power plants here in the states. But I've often doubted if nuclear power plants are a good fit for Utah. Utah is one of the driest states in the nation. Perhaps my understanding is outdated, but I have always understood that nuclear power plants require a lot of water for cooling.

Can a nuclear power plant work without a fairly large water source? Or can they use cooling towers for cooling, similar to coal plants?

 

[CKN]

Utah has been addicted to coal -it's being legislated away. The population is growing-Utah needs to do something. Plenty of wide open spaces for solar panels.

 

[Rmay635703]

An article on one of the Utah news sites quotes the Utah governor, as recommending that Utah needs to consider nuclear power plants, to provide for our future power demand in the state.

I'm all for more nuclear power plants here in the states. But I've often doubted if nuclear power plants are a good fit for Utah. Utah is one of the driest states in the nation. Perhaps my understanding is outdated, but I have always understood that nuclear power plants require a lot of water for cooling.

Can a nuclear power plant work without a fairly large water source? Or can they use cooling towers for cooling, similar to coal plants?

There are water free designs starting to enter the build phase in foreign nations. Chinas pebble bed reactor being a good example
Utah also has saline water sources that could be desalinated by a nuke

Utah may have a few regions suitable for geothermal and wind but considering its climate
solar is one of those 3 season situations that would work well with baseline nuclear.

The issue with nuclear is that you pay dearly for reliable power, it typically costs more, but the region does have good permanent waste options

 

[BISCUT]

Quite viable with modern designs. I've always been mystified by the number of anti's who at the same time espouse climate efforts. Responsible Nuke energy that allows for reconstitution is a winning solution for all.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

If they could get the electricity here "too cheap to meter" I'd consider going with electric heat!

 

[alarmguy]

Cooling system would or could easily be a closed cooling system (many or most are are) no different than your gasoline car

 

[mk378]

no different than your gasoline car

Car engines are an open cycle and most of the waste heat leaves via the exhaust. Some of the proposed nuclear plants are an open air cycle which works like a gas turbine except that nuclear heat is used instead of fuel combustion. However, it is always desirable to incorporate a steam boiler at the outlet of a gas turbine as considerable additional electricity can be produced from the exhaust heat.

Coal and gas plants also require a heat sink which is water based, but there is less waste heat per MWe.

 

[KrisZ]

Probably another tech giant wants to power their AI for cheap. The sudden interest in nuclear and the increasing power requirements for developing AI surely aren’t coincidental.

 

[4wd]

Probably another tech giant wants to power their AI for cheap. The sudden interest in nuclear and the increasing power requirements for developing AI surely aren’t coincidental.

When I drive by them and see the large NG lines feeding large generators - I’m thinking we are coming to a head. Thousands of people stretched the pocketbook to install whole house NG generators in the Houston area - now a giant sucking sound so AI keeps running … Here we go …

 

[Cujet]

There are any number of proposed nuclear power plant waste heat management schemes. Some of which are quite viable.

 

[Vil_Riker]

Do we even have the expertise to build a new nuclear plant?

 

[Albin]

An article on one of the Utah news sites quotes the Utah governor, as recommending that Utah needs to consider nuclear power plants, to provide for our future power demand in the state.

I'm all for more nuclear power plants here in the states. But I've often doubted if nuclear power plants are a good fit for Utah. Utah is one of the driest states in the nation. Perhaps my understanding is outdated, but I have always understood that nuclear power plants require a lot of water for cooling.

Can a nuclear power plant work without a fairly large water source? Or can they use cooling towers for cooling, similar to coal plants?

You can't put a nuclear power plant in the middle of the desert without a huge water source.

Here's proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Verde_Nuclear_Generating_Station

 

[Rmay635703]

You can't put a nuclear power plant in the middle of the desert without a huge water source.

Here's proof: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Verde_Nuclear_Generating_Station

Cooled by sewage

 

[The_Jeff]

Do we even have the expertise to build a new nuclear plant?

Of a unique design?

France has it right, they plop the same model down over and over and have the bugs figured out and mostly eliminated.

The US will have some egomaniac commission a "special" plant with all sorts of engineering one-offs, that lead to cost and schedule overruns.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Cooling towers, plus you are windy and cold.

 

[Rust_Belt_Pete]

Of a unique design?

France has it right, they plop the same model down over and over and have the bugs figured out and mostly eliminated.

The US will have some egomaniac commission a "special" plant with all sorts of engineering one-offs, that lead to cost and schedule overruns.

This. Frenchies perfect nuclear power plants. We would be weapons grade idiots not to license them.

 

[BHopkins]

Probably another tech giant wants to power their AI for cheap. The sudden interest in nuclear and the increasing power requirements for developing AI surely aren’t coincidental.

Not too far from the truth. One reason that sparked the discussion about nuclear power in Utah, is a proposed data center that needs 1.4 gigawatts of power. Utah's current electrical demand is 4 gigawatts, so we are talking about a potential 26% increase in capacity, just for this proposed data center.

 

[oil pan 4]

Do we even have the expertise to build a new nuclear plant?

The united states never stopped building nuclear power plants people just think we did.

 

[OVERKILL]

This is a perfect opportunity for more AP1000's. The FOAK penalty was paid at Vogtle, any subsequent ones should be cheaper. As already noted, if you are already using coal, which uses water for cooling, you can do nuclear on the same site.

A fully depreciated nuke produces power for around $0.03-$0.04/kWh, but you've gotta pay back that CAPEX first.

 

[4wd]

This is a perfect opportunity for more AP1000's. The FOAK penalty was paid at Vogtle, any subsequent ones should be cheaper. As already noted, if you are already using coal, which uses water for cooling, you can do nuclear on the same site.

A fully depreciated nuke produces power for around $0.03-$0.04/kWh, but you've gotta pay back that CAPEX first.

Yep, we practice design one, build many - but perhaps there are different drivers in this space …