MacroVoices #409 Mark Nelson: All Things Nuclear Energy
Jan 4, 2024
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Mark Nelson, an expert in nuclear energy and regulations, discusses the shifting attitude towards nuclear energy and the potential of molten salt reactors. They also explore differing opinions on small modular reactors (SMRs) and the viability of fitting nuclear energy into shipping containers. The concept of pebble bed reactors and higher temperature nuclear reactors is also explored. China's advancements in nuclear energy and the importance of nuclear energy in the global energy transition are discussed, along with investment opportunities in the industry.
Small community reactors lack the scale and modularity needed for large-scale energy production and are unlikely to have a significant role in the overall energy transition.
Gigawatt power plants, like the Westinghouse AP-1000, offer better economics and construction timelines compared to small community reactors.
Truly modular small modular reactors (SMRs) built in standard shipping containers can drive down costs and make nuclear power more competitive with coal and gas.
Building gigawatt power plants by combining modular reactor modules in shipping container form can replace global energy consumption from fossil fuels in a shorter timeframe.
Higher temperature reactors, like pebble bed, sodium-cooled, and molten salt reactors, are crucial for industrial decarbonization and high-temperature processes.
Deep dives
The issue with SMRs
The use of the term SMRs (Small Modular Reactors) as a marketing term has led to confusion and inconsistency in its definition. Most SMR designs are not particularly small or modular. The focus on modularity is crucial, but many designs miss the point. Newscale, for example, is an old-school pressurized water reactor that requires extensive on-site construction. Though SMRs are being hyped as the future, they lack the scale and modularity needed to address the cost and time issues associated with large-scale conventional nuclear power plants.
Challenges with small community reactors
The idea of small community reactors, often touted as micro-reactors, faces challenges due to current regulations that necessitate armed guards. The economics of scale are also not feasible for small community reactors. While they may have limited applications, such as providing electricity for remote locations like mines, they are not likely to play a significant role in the overall energy transition.
The importance of gigawatt power plants
To effectively address the energy transition, the focus should be on gigawatt power plants rather than megawatt power plants. Small community reactors cannot provide the scale required for large-scale energy production. Gigawatt-sized reactors, like the Westinghouse AP-1000, have demonstrated successful construction timelines and offer better economics.
The vision for modular SMRs
The future lies in small modular reactors (SMRs) that are truly modular and built in standard shipping containers. These SMRs, with modules the size of 40-foot shipping containers, offer a viable solution to the cost and time issues associated with large-scale reactors. By leveraging modularity and standardization, SMRs can drive down costs and make nuclear power more competitive with coal and gas.
Building gigawatt power plants with modular reactors
The potential of building gigawatt power plants by ganging together 25 modular reactor modules is discussed. These thermal reactor modules could be produced on fully robotic assembly lines to bring down costs. The vision is to build 217,100 megawatt thermal reactor modules in shipping container form to replace global energy consumption from fossil fuels. The existing container ship-based logistics infrastructure could be utilized for transportation, and the goal is to build modular nuclear power plants in a significantly shorter timeframe compared to conventional nuclear plants.
Challenges and potential of pebble bed reactors
Pebble bed reactors, which utilize uranium fuel marbles or pebbles, are explored as a potential option for high-temperature steam generation. However, challenges exist in terms of high manufacturing costs, ensuring uniform burnup of fuel pebbles, and preventing dust formation and chipping. The current operational pebble bed reactors in China have faced issues, and it remains to be seen if advancements can overcome these challenges and enable them to contribute to industrial decarbonization or high-temperature process heat.
The need for a global nuclear regulatory and certification authority
The proposal for a global nuclear regulatory and certification authority is discussed to streamline the regulatory process for advanced nuclear technologies. This open source regulator would involve an international consortium with shared data and standards, reducing the need for reactor designers to navigate multiple national regulatory frameworks. A similar concept has been observed in the Philippines, where a recently passed regulatory law allows for acceptance of reactor licenses from other countries, aligning with the idea of portable licensing. The goal is to create a more efficient pathway for certifying new reactor designs and fostering international collaboration in advancing nuclear energy.
The Importance of Higher Temperature Reactors
Higher temperature reactors are crucial for processes such as seawater desalination, hydrogen production, and the production of synthetic hydrocarbons. These processes require higher temperatures than traditional pressurized water reactors can provide. By using the heat directly without converting it into electricity first, the overall thermal efficiency of the process increases. Reactor designs such as the pebble bed reactor, sodium-cooled reactors, lead-cooled reactors, and molten salt solid fuel reactors are being explored to achieve these high temperatures.
China's Progress in Nuclear Energy
China is making significant strides in nuclear energy, far surpassing Western countries in terms of reactor construction and innovations. China has ambitious plans to build more reactors in the next five years than the US has built in the past 70 years. They are also making advancements in the development of molten salt reactors and are even considering building molten salt thorium reactor-fueled container ships. China's commitment to nuclear energy puts them in a strong position for global energy leadership.
MacroVoice's Erik Townsend & Patrick Ceresna welcome Mark Nelson as the special holiday guest for the New Year. Erik and Mark will delve into the intricate world of nuclear reactors, exploring potential fuels like Thorium, and shedding light on the contemporary challenges entwined with nuclear regulations. https://bit.ly/3H52Kan
