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submitted 3 days ago by einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] DahGangalang@infosec.pub 18 points 3 days ago

In 2019, the US EIA revised the levelized cost of electricity from new advanced nuclear power plants going online in 2023 to be $0.0775/kWh before government subsidies, using a regulated industry 4.3% cost of capital (WACC - pre-tax 6.6%) over a 30-year cost recovery period.[63] Financial firm Lazard also updated its levelized cost of electricity report costing new nuclear at between $0.118/kWh and $0.192/kWh using a commercial 7.7% cost of capital (WACC - pre-tax 12% cost for the higher-risk 40% equity finance and 8% cost for the 60% loan finance) over a 40-year lifetime.[64]

The article discusses why that number is probably flawed and relies on cherry picked data, but it seems somewhat close to profitability. Assuming theyre above with a cost of electricity of ~$0.20/kWh (already cheaper than some of US) should be viable, yeah?

[-] einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 days ago

40-year lifetime

That dosent include the cost of maintaining the radioactive trash for the next few million years.

[-] sparkyshocks@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago

Assuming theyre above with a cost of electricity of ~$0.20/kWh

Can we assume that, after factoring in the actual portion that the accounting says goes to the power plant itself? The economics of utility scale electricity includes both generation and transmission, so you can't just take that retail price and assume it all goes to the power plant that produced the electricity.

Wholesale prices tend to stay below 10 cents in most parts of the country, although it sometimes spikes when grids are under strain. I think that's probably a more fair assumption of how much the power plants themselves are paid for their production.