Abstract
The authors propose an approach to the calculation of the levelized unit fuel cost (LUFC) of electricity generation for a fast reactor in a two-component nuclear energy system (NES) with regard for plutonium production. The approach is based on taking into account the additional economic effect, which can be achieved through the sale at the market price of the natural uranium released due to the substitution of thermal reactors by fast reactors with MOX fuel based on the plutonium bred in a fast reactor. This requires considering simultaneously the reactor parts of the fuel cycle for fast and thermal reactors. Relationships have been obtained which connect the key neutronic and fuel characteristics with the NPP and fuel cycle economic performance. The described methodology was used for the computational study of the LUFC for a fast sodium-cooled reactor. Calculations have shown that, in the considered case, taking into account the plutonium production leads to the LUFC reduction by nearly half and, therefore, to a major decrease in the total unit cost of electricity generation (levelized cost of electricity or LCOE).
Highlights
Closing the nuclear fuel cycle solves the problem of using in a nuclear power system (NES) a second product, i.e., secondary nuclear materials recovered from spent nuclear fuel (SNF)
With an escalation of the price of natural uranium by 5%, the calculations show that the picture does not change qualitatively, but the levelized unit fuel cost (LUFC) values become negative: at r = 0% for any storage coefficient (SC); at r = 5% for SC> 1.43
Taking into account that the contribution of LUFC to the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE (OECD 2018 NEA No 7928)) is about 15%, accounting for plutonium production at NPPs with fast reactors leads to a significant decrease in the LCOE, i.e., up to 10% or more at higher prices for natural uranium
Summary
System levelized fuel cost of electricity generation in a two-component nuclear energy system with a closed uranium-plutonium NFC*. Nuclear Energy and Technology 7(4): 303–309. https://doi.org/10.3897/ nucet.7.78367
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