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Seattle Ecomodernist Society's avatar

While public-private partnership such as ARDP and NRIC are necessary coordinators of fission technology research and commercialization, and utility payment systems need a structure that rewards energy capacity construction and generation, incorporating better ability to listen to market signals is equally helpful, and still less explored. Nuclear plants should be restarted where the dormant capital can yield significant net value - which is probably most of them. New or old reactors should be engineered for multi century lifecycles. By nature technology development costs more than marginal output and must be freed from current market cost, which is why finance exists and the public sector boosts technology finance in chosen sectors. That shouldnt mean a blank check or random pork, but rather a greater challenge for public sector ability to set and adjust criteria for competition for development funding to keep it vibrant and pushing advance. Related are strategic goals such as global markets, cheap electricity to advance the heartland, and keeping multiple fission variants in development, like vessel size, fuel form, coolant material, and breeding capacity. Throwing a wad at a massive build out based on assumed competitiveness is likely too big a risk given the advantages that Korea and China have shown in many sectors, and the ample supply of gas for internal US energy production. 3 Korean plants can be built for the price of vogtle. The allocation of limited surplus among restarting plants, developing new fission technology, and applying software to lower construction cost of large water cooled reactors needs to be considered carefully and frequently adjusted. Competitive ecosystems can detect and limit spending down commercial dead ends. A return to global exchange of nuclear science and free trade in components and plants would help US development. The engineering paradigm is another contributor to outcome that needs help, a shift to and maturation of systems and hazard engineering. Increasing state capacity, a fundamental challenge of information based economies that bears heavily on fission deployment, must grow a range of new cost measurement structures among a range of coordinating functions.

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Shawn Connors's avatar

Good article. In Palisade’s case, because of the rapid decision to re-power just weeks after Holtec took possession of the plant, they have been able to re-employ almost half the previous workforce. The plant now has all hands on deck with the veterans training the new hires, both experienced operators from the nuclear industry and people starting their nuclear careers. The plant is an experience rich environment. Also, Entergy, the previous owner, made a number or improvements and upgrades at the plant, with the cooling towers being replaced just a few years ago. The plants first year of operation was 1971, but like a new knee or hip, parts and devices that wore out have been upgraded. The delayed maintenance due to the previously anticipated decommissioning has been adequately funded, and upgrades are now under way with the NRC fully engaged. Here’s a LinkedIn link with more information. https://tinyurl.com/2ykemdhh

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