Economics of ALMR deployment

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:28363

Delene, J G; Fuller, L C; Hudson, C R

The Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) has the potential to extend the economic life of the nuclear option and of reducing the number of high level waste repositories which will eventually be needed in an expanding nuclear economy. This paper reports on an analysis which models and evaluates the economics of the use of ALMRs as a component of this country`s future electricity generation mix. The ALMR concept has the ability to utilize as fuel the fissile material contained in previously irradiated nuclear fuel (i.e., spent fuel) or from surplus weapons grade material. While not a requirement for the successful deployment of ALMR power plant technology, the reprocessing of spent fuel from light water reactors (LWR) is necessary for any rapid introduction of ALMR power plants. In addition, the reprocessing of LWR spent fuel may reduce the number of high level waste repositories needed in the future by burning the long-lived actinides produced in the fission process. With this study, the relative economics of a number of potential scenarios related to these issues are evaluated. While not encompassing the full range of all possibilities, the cases reported here provide an indication of the potential costs, timings, and relative economic attractiveness of ALMR deployment.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 28363
• Report Number(s): CONF-940602--22; ON: DE95007381
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
BREEDING RATIO
DATA
ECONOMICS
FUEL CYCLE
FUEL CYCLE CENTERS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS
WATER COOLED REACTORS