tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post5280065845456344831..comments2024-03-28T09:55:42.123+00:00Comments on Capitalists@Work: It all comes together on UK Energy planningCityUnslickerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15929544047783163175noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-83518051611947989172013-12-17T12:01:28.100+00:002013-12-17T12:01:28.100+00:00I'd beg to differ on UK creating a new nuclear...I'd beg to differ on UK creating a new nuclear power station design from scratch at a vaguely economic cost. Current Gen III designs are all refinements of previous designs, with the benefit of the experience of building the previous designs. eg the French EPR (4-loop 1650 MWe PWR) is a refinement of the problematic N4 design (4-loop 1450 MWe PWR), 4 of which were built.<br /><br />We would be at a huge disadvantage designing from scratch without the PWR experience base. Anyway there are more existing Gen III designs (EPR, AP1000, VVER-1200, ABWR, ACPR1000, ACR1400, Atmea, ESBWR, APWR) being hawked around than demand supports. Another one makes no commercial sense.<br /><br />Licensing one existing design and building many might make sense, and could create an experience base (a bit like China did), but that would probably require UK state intervention a la CEGB, rather than private enterprise.<br /><br />'unconventional' fuel cycle designs are R&D projects, not something that could be built on a commercial scale with private finance for a decade or three.rwendlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07861901317813829419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-5147178952254056052013-12-17T09:21:26.158+00:002013-12-17T09:21:26.158+00:00rwendland said: "we cannot build our own nuc,...rwendland said: "we cannot build our own nuc, as we have no designs for one"<br /><br />Only half true. In reality, all that's lacking is the confidence to build one. The cost of the French design should be the incentive to do it.<br /><br />One could compare to the aircraft carriers. We had no available design for them either, but did it anyway. And before anyone says, the cost/ton of the carriers is nearly identical to HMS Dreadnought (1909), HMS Hood and HMS Vangaurd, at constant per capita GDP prices.<br /><br />So, despite the wails of despair from PPE-educated politicians and civil servants, DIY nukes are probably less expensive than brand new French or Chinese, and certainly less expensive in life-cycle cost.DJKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-78513438406379785322013-12-16T22:42:58.594+00:002013-12-16T22:42:58.594+00:00rwendland: "we cannot build our own nuc, as w...rwendland: "we cannot build our own nuc, as we have no designs for one,"<br /><br />Conventional nuclear, yes. What about the 'unconventional' fuel cycle?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-29252658751300553582013-12-16T22:34:53.865+00:002013-12-16T22:34:53.865+00:00DJK, we cannot build our own nuc, as we have no de...DJK, we cannot build our own nuc, as we have no designs for one, nor recent experience. Not even a not-safe-enough previous Generation II design.<br /><br />The UK nuc industry decided to back gas-cooled power reactors in the 60s, as oh-so-much-better than the yankee water cooled design. Proved to be a commercially terrible decision, and left us with all the wrong experience. Unless we want to produce more Plutonium (we already have 100+ tons in store we know not what to do with) rather than electricity.rwendlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07861901317813829419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-73758478090213094692013-12-16T20:47:40.221+00:002013-12-16T20:47:40.221+00:00Or can't we just build our own (British) nuke?...Or can't we just build our own (British) nuke? It's not absolutely necessary to rely on foreigners all the time.DJKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-74323699854168136952013-12-16T19:20:43.485+00:002013-12-16T19:20:43.485+00:00Can't the UK buy French leccy at that price? O...Can't the UK buy French leccy at that price? Or even less because we will be buying in bulk?Blue Eyesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-43645382106706421102013-12-16T15:42:50.402+00:002013-12-16T15:42:50.402+00:00Saw the interview. Truly amazing. I am becoming ...Saw the interview. Truly amazing. I am becoming glad that I did some calligraphy a while back.Demetriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17198549581667363991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-39861065071109497532013-12-16T13:52:22.437+00:002013-12-16T13:52:22.437+00:00I find it amusing to read people puzzling over Rat...I find it amusing to read people puzzling over Ratcliffe's plan to "import US shale gas" to Grangemouth <br /><br />(it simply means ethane in ships, for his ethane cracker, supplies for which are diminishing from the North Sea, for obvious reasons - the import facility will be quick & cheap to build and Atlantic ethane prices, like those of natural gas, have been trashed by shale)Nick Drewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13670594203660051701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-81681345029702444332013-12-16T13:38:57.148+00:002013-12-16T13:38:57.148+00:00I think the same about all parties ...I think the same about all parties ...hovisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32841798.post-54745976815557551982013-12-16T11:21:39.639+00:002013-12-16T11:21:39.639+00:00The role of Lib Dems in government stopped being f...The role of Lib Dems in government stopped being funny a while ago now. <br /><br />One can but pray for their electoral oblivion. <br /><br />What a truly depressing read. Kilgore Troutnoreply@blogger.com