Is SMR somehow more expensive than older reactors per Watt?
Of course it is. Same fixed costs (e.g. safety, security) for less output. Economics of scale work against it, not for it, the same way one bus for 50 people is cheaper than 50 cars.
The whole pitch of SMR is modular reactors that can be mostly prefabbed offsite and just lego blocked into a power plant quickly.
So far, yeah we are seeing the same exact issue as normal nuclear, i.e. so complex with such high stakes if they fault, the build times and costs over run 3-5x for each of them.
SMR feels like the “clean coal” of nuclear. Ontario is absolutly treating it as greenwashing to prevent solar/wind when we know these are both cheap and easy techs that have great output, no safety issues, and almost no maintance costs, even when coupled with batteries. They really should be working to develop real SMR while pushing 100% ahead with relaible renewabale power, but yeah. Here we are.
Of course it is. Same fixed costs (e.g. safety, security) for less output. Economics of scale work against it, not for it, the same way one bus for 50 people is cheaper than 50 cars.
The whole pitch of SMR is modular reactors that can be mostly prefabbed offsite and just lego blocked into a power plant quickly.
So far, yeah we are seeing the same exact issue as normal nuclear, i.e. so complex with such high stakes if they fault, the build times and costs over run 3-5x for each of them.
SMR feels like the “clean coal” of nuclear. Ontario is absolutly treating it as greenwashing to prevent solar/wind when we know these are both cheap and easy techs that have great output, no safety issues, and almost no maintance costs, even when coupled with batteries. They really should be working to develop real SMR while pushing 100% ahead with relaible renewabale power, but yeah. Here we are.