Advanced Nuclear Generation-2023 nuclear, generation, coal plants, repurposing, low-carbon, decarbonization, carbon-free

EPRI Insights 2023

90+ GW

70+ GW

290 GW

Less economically efficient U.S. coal plants retired since 2000

U.S. coal plants announced to be retired in the next 15 years

Expected total global coal plant etirements in the next 15 years

Environmental and financial pressures to retire and decommission the coal fleet continue to mount as power generators worldwide transition to low-carbon or carbon-free energy sources.

Until recently, newly constructed natural gas fired units typically replaced decommissioned coal plants...

Coal-fueled generating plants continue to be retired in the U.S. and around the world

EPRI is exploring the process of determining whether a coal-fired power plant slated for decommissioning is suitable for repowering to advanced nuclear generation

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...but governments around the world now encourage redeveloping the sites for renewable, clean energy power generation.

Repowering a coal-fueled generation facility for clean energy generation offers many advantages: potential to reuse existing site infrastructure, operating and environmental permits, equipment, facilities, and water usage for future clean power generation and energy storage facilities. Repowering with clean power generation may also provide social and economic benefits to the surrounding community through retention of jobs and tax base.

The value of repowering for new generation

Aerial View of Coal Fired Power Plant on the Ohio River

Why nuclear? Advantages of repowering with a nuclear plant

Site Infrastructure

Physical Site Characteristicss

Permits

Structure & Equipment

Water Availability & Stormwater Management

Key Considerations for Repowering Coal Plant Sites with Advanced Nuclear

Criteria to evaluate the potential of a coal site to support a nuclear plant

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Clean While country, state and local regulations may value it differently, nuclear power generation is non-carbon-emitting during its operating lifetime and emits less carbon over its entire lifecycle than any other generation source other than hydropower.

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Reliable Nuclear plants have proven to have the highest capacity factors of any generation assets on the grid, routinely operating above 90%.

Flexible Modern nuclear plants, as with the operating fleet, will have the ability to operate flexibly on grids that include significant intermittent generation, such as solar and wind.

Scalable Nuclear plants can be sized to have generation parity with the original coal site, providing a similar electrical supply in the same location and efficiently utilizing existing transmission capacity

Economical Although the cost of nuclear deployment can be higher than other generation, their long life and low fuel cost can make them economically attractive over the long term.

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Grid Interconnection

Coal plants have existing high-voltage power connection infrastructure, interconnection studies, and a site permitting evaluation, land-use rights, and off-taker agreements in place (especially electrical) to facilitate grid interconnection of future nuclear generation.

Utilizing the existing structures and connection avoids the cost of new ones and saves time to secure the necessary authorizations from the authorities having jurisdiction. The available carrying capacity of transmission and distribution (T&D) lines near the site can impact overall costs. For example, if the capacity of the nuclear plant is greater than the coal plant, existing substation equipment or utility lines may need to be upgraded to accommodate the change in generation capacity. Depending on the nuclear plant size, a feasibility study may be required to determine any changes needed to the existing interconnection and the cost and timeline for upgrades.

Cooling Water Supply

While some new nuclear designs are expected to be able to use air cooling, it is likely that designs with output like that of the coal plant it is replacing will make use of cooling water.

Coal and nuclear plants require the ability to remove the heat generated and typically use large amounts of water. This can be in the form of once-through cooling or via the use of cooling towers. In the United States, the ability to use once-through cooling, even if it was the method previously used by the coal plant, is unlikely due to environmental protection rules. The ability to use the existing plant’s cooling systems is dependent on many factors, but of key value is the proximity to a significant amount of water, and possibly more importantly, the availability of water use rights.

Transportation Access

Transportation access is a key need for nuclear, both during construction and over the life of the plant. Access for workers, heavy equipment, and components is needed for construction.

Many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are incorporating modular construction in their new designs that is intended to reduce the need for heavy haul and barge access, sizing their modules to be easily delivered via highways and rail. Once construction is complete, there will still be a need for transportation access during operations for workers, nuclear fuel delivery, and equipment for maintenance and potential replacement.

Utilities

Existing utilities and easements, such as water, gas, and sewer, may be useful during plant construction and operation.

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Geology/Seismology Areas where regional hazard mapping shows that the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) are high may result in certain reactor technologies being screened out for exceeding the reactor specific design requirement for a Safe Shutdown Earthquake.

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Cooling Water Supply Water sources that can supply the identified cooling water demand (either singly or in combination).

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Flooding Flood prone areas should be avoided to the extent practical.

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Nearby Hazardous Land Uses Avoid military installations, land within 10 mi (16 km) of major airports (evaluate airport takeoff and landing patterns), and maximize distance to other major industrial areas or potential hazards (such as active oil and gas well fields, chemical facilities, refineries, dams, etc.

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Population Regulations vary by country and can be somewhat complicated. Current U.S. NRC guidance requires a population density of 500 people per square mile or less over a 20-mile (32-km) radius.

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Atmospheric Dispersion Areas where short-term atmospheric dispersion would be limited should be avoided to the extent practical.

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Groundwater Radionuclide Pathway Regions with U.S. EPA Class I groundwater resources and/or sole source aquifers should be excluded from further siting consideration.

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Disruption of Important Species/Habitats –Plant Site Exclude areas designated a ‘critical habitat.’ Other protected ecological areas (national wildlife refuges, national marine sanctuaries, and so on) are also routinely excluded as part of the land use criterion evaluation. Effort should be made to avoid sites where threatened and endangered species (flora and fauna) are known to be present.

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Disruption of Wetlands Wetlands should be avoided.

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Land Use Established public amenity areas—those dedicated by federal, state, or local governments to scenic, recreational, or cultural purposes.

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Pumping Distance Primarily a cost related issue and may not have any impact if reusing pumping infrastructure.

Site Infrastructure: The EPRI Site Selection and Evaluation Criteria for New Nuclear Energy Generation Facilities (Siting Guide)

Securing Land, Transmission, and Water Rights and Other Permits

It is important to keep the land, transmission, and water rights active during the phases of decommissioning, new nuclear construction, and new plant operation.

The site property, including any additional adjacent land owned by the utility

Access to a transmission corridor and system

Access to water

A key value proposition for repurposing a coal plant with a new nuclear plant is that there are existing and available infrastructure elements already in place. Three of the key elements are:

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