It’s worth noting that the high cost and long lead times are mostly just a US thing, many nations can go from inception to fully complete in three to five years. There also isn’t much overlap with the resources needed for cheaper solar and wind. I’m just glad that it’s not more natural gas “bridge” plants.
It’s worth noting that the high cost and long lead times are mostly just a US thing, many nations can go from inception to fully complete in three to five years.
I was curious about this claim and checked out the IAEA website and just checked random cointries and found several reactors that have been under construction for way longer.
I have never heard of a power plant or new reactor of an existing plant being build in that time frame. Do you have examples?
Offhand Wolseong in Korea brought thier two new reactors online in five and seven years, and have a nationwide average of six years. Qinshan in China brought two new Candean reactors online in four and five years, with a nationwide average of five years aswell.
As the other commenter mentioned Japan has systemicly built reactors in four years, though Fukushima 2 does well to demonstrate the danger or just running old American designs forever given how much better the modern reactors at the plant did than the older ones.
It’s worth noting that the high cost and long lead times are mostly just a US thing, many nations can go from inception to fully complete in three to five years. There also isn’t much overlap with the resources needed for cheaper solar and wind. I’m just glad that it’s not more natural gas “bridge” plants.
I was curious about this claim and checked out the IAEA website and just checked random cointries and found several reactors that have been under construction for way longer.
I have never heard of a power plant or new reactor of an existing plant being build in that time frame. Do you have examples?
The Soviets did that in the 70s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_Russia#Reactors_in_operation
Also Japan did it as well with the BTR-4 design a bit later. That was the reactor type which had a melt down in Fukushima.
Offhand Wolseong in Korea brought thier two new reactors online in five and seven years, and have a nationwide average of six years. Qinshan in China brought two new Candean reactors online in four and five years, with a nationwide average of five years aswell.
As the other commenter mentioned Japan has systemicly built reactors in four years, though Fukushima 2 does well to demonstrate the danger or just running old American designs forever given how much better the modern reactors at the plant did than the older ones.
https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/42/105/42105221.pdf