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Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) doomed to failure

Why The Economics Don’t Favor Nuclear Power In America Forbes Staff, Contributor  by Mark Cooper, senior fellow for economic analysis at Vermont Law School’s Institute for Energy and the Environment. 20 Feb 14, “………..The buzz surrounding small modular reactors among nuclear advocates over the past couple of years is another example of the nuclear hype cycle. The industry is demanding massive subsidies and further relaxation of licensing and safety requirements.

Independent analysts think the cost per kilowatt hour will not be less than the cost for the current crop of large reactors and is likely to be more for a significant period. The economic traits that are supposed to make small reactors attractive—small size, short construction periods, flexible deployment—are exhibited by many of the other alternatives. Westinghouse, one of the leading U.S. vendors, has recently nixed further investment in small reactors, even though its partner in Missouri, Ameren , had extracted $40 million in support from the state. The reason Westinghouse gave – “no customers” – was a quintessential real world market answer……

The ultimate irony is that small modular reactors and large scale carbon capture and storage are both hypothetical resources that are a decade or more away. In the meantime, the other alternatives are advancing like a freight train. By the time the new base load technologies reach their cost floor, it is very likely they too will be unable to compete…… http://www.forbes.com/sites/energysource/2014/02/20/why-the-economics-dont-favor-nuclear-power-in-america/

February 21, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized