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Some numbers.

NuScale says their nuclear power module (NPM) output capacity is 77 MW (gross) [1].

NuScale says their plant designs can combine up to 12 NPMs for 924 MW total output [2].

One megawatt can power 400-1000 homes [3].

[1] https://www.nuscalepower.com/technology/technology-overview

[2] https://www.nuscalepower.com/about-us/faq#T2

[3] https://www.betterhomelab.com/how-many-homes-can-1-mw-power/




Those numbers look excellent, but we'll need to see the pricetag for a dozen, and also if they can be rolled off the line rapidly.


I think siting challenges and getting permitting approvals are likely to drive costs to non-competitiveness even if the reactor is free. And that's a terrible shame since the factory-built approach makes so much sense and our need for clean, reliable base load is so dire. Europe could really use quite a few boatloads of these reactors right now.


Generation is just part of that. High-power interconnection is a difficult and expensive problem.


Part of NuScale's concept is that these can be installed at sites of decommissioned coal plants:

https://www.nuscalepower.com/environment/coal-plants

And the grid already has good connections to those sites.

Whether that actually can be done is another question. Many people want traditional nuclear located as far away as possible from populated areas, but with coal they aren't as picky about location.

NuScale's version of nuclear is supposed to be much safer, but who knows if that will put people at ease enough that it can be put wherever is convenient.


What's interesting is that these are actually getting used for solar and wind projects today for mostly the same reason (connection to the grid that exists; new transmission takes years to come online if it ever does)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/climate/coal-plants-renew...




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