Systemic competitiveness of nuclear energy sources*

Abstract

Possibilities are analyzed for improving the commercial attractiveness of nuclear electricity generation in market conditions. A model is presented in which a financially integrated electricity generating system comprising several units of one technological type, rather than a single unit, is subject to an economic analysis. Issues have been considered involved in the calculation of the electricity cost in such systems and their construction. It has been shown that the calculated unit cost of the electricity generated in a financially integrated nuclear energy system with the number of units being more than one, provided it is financed by shareholders and creditors, can be lower as compared with the cost of the electricity generated by power units, not integrated economically, of the same capacity under the same investment conditions.The effect is achieved thanks to the short-term crediting component in the electricity cost the funds on which can be returned, at a time, for a smaller number of units (even for only one), as electricity is produced by all units in the system. The results of the calculations for nuclear energy sources and combined-cycle plants using the developed model make it possible to conclude that the switch from economic models of individual nuclear units to models of integrated energy systems can bring the calculated economic performance of nuclear power closer to (or better) the performance of fossil-fuel energy sources. If achieved, this may increase the commercial attractiveness of nuclear power and contribute to a growth in the public and private investments in nuclear power business.