pjc50

Or you go for a gas. But then you're not able to use water as a moderator, so it either has to be a "fast neutron" design (which the few liquid sodium reactors are) or use a graphite moderator (flammable, lifespan issues with neutron cracking).

The unexplored corner is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas-cooled_fast_reactor : plumbing is "safe" apart from being incredibly hot, but you still have to deal with fast neutrons smashing up the reactor from the inside on an atomic level.

Comment · 4 days ago

Exaggeration: everything on the grid has a "trip" for instant disconnect, and there's usually a steam bypass for ramping down fairly quickly.

Ramping up takes longer, yes, especially from maintenance. But the real factor is that operating cost is constant, almost independent from output, so they want to run the plant at operational 100% as much as possible.

(handy UK status page: https://www.ukgridlive.co.uk/nuclear )

Comment · 4 days ago

This is clearly not true because nobody is building one of those? Not just in the West. The one that's actually getting built is PWR.

Comment · 4 days ago

Disappointingly in the West, the primary bottleneck is permitting. Both for sites and grid connections. Not quite the same as "attention", but similar.

The UK is currently building two long offshore DC-DC connections between north Scotland, where all the wind is, and the south of England, where much of the demand is. This is easier than running another line of pylons on land because fewer people will complain.

Comment · 4 days ago

Or the Pakistani solution: over 3 years, import 55GW of panels and distribute them across roofs. https://janrosenow.substack.com/p/pakistan-the-solar-revolut...

By comparison, the country's nuclear programme is targeting 2050, and I suspect that may get overtaken by events. Although it's still required for nuclear weapons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_Pakistan

> You're making it sound like solar is power available now

It is. It's a thing you can buy from Aliexpress.

Comment · 4 days ago

Greetings, fellow 56N resident - you may be interested in my seasonality stats from here in Edinburgh: https://flatline.org.uk/daystats.html

Comment · 4 days ago

I have been wondering if there is a smart way to make use of "island" solar at home, but not thought of one other than heating assist (pipe tape heater).

Comment · 4 days ago

Long discussion: https://www.worksinprogress.news/p/why-british-nuclear-flopp...

Magnox: un-enriched fuel, designed for weapons, low operating temperature.

AGR: too complicated, can't be refuelled without complete shutdown.

PWR has emerged as the only viable design, and even that is too complicated compared to solar+batteries.

Basically, plumbing is the enemy. Every joint is a potential failure. If what's in the pipe is radioactive or corrosive or explosive (in the case of molten sodium, all three), that's extra bad. So there's tremendous cost of inspections.

Comment · 4 days ago

A was Magnox and B was AGR. A collectible set of British dead end nuclear technologies.

C is not a great idea but like HS2 failing to finish it would also be a disaster.

Comment · 4 days ago

50V is the limit for "safe extra low voltage" rules. Considered to be touch safe.