Information about Last Energy’s Proposed Nuclear Power Plant
Last energy is planning to build 34 reactors in Europe starting in 2026
Those who are interested in nuclear power and enjoy podcasts have probably come across the Titans of Nuclear podcast https://www.titansofnuclear.com/ . This podcast, was started by Bret Kugelmass in 2018. He says he started this podcast to learn everything there is to know about nuclear power. My understanding of his motivation for this podcast was his quest to find a way to draw down carbon in the atmosphere. He is of the opinion that the only practical way to do this at scale will involve nuclear power. The Titans of Nuclear now has recorded over 400 podcasts with experts in the climate science and nuclear power fields. As he learned more, he came to the view that the major problems with nuclear power are that it has not been able to build reactors quickly at a competitive cost.
Mr. Kugelmass is the founder and CEO of Last Energy. Last Energy has designed a 20 Mw electric, 60 Mw Thermal Pressurised Water Nuclear (PWR) Reactor. His goal is to see his company install one nuclear reactor per week. To do this he has designed a reactor that has standard components with an established supply chain. Last Energy has procured Power Purchase Agreements from various clients that will see them installing 10 reactors in Poland and 24 reactors in the United Kingdom (https://www.powermag.com/last-energy-secures-ppas-for-34-smr-nuclear-power-plants-in-poland-and-the-uk/). The first of these plants are expected to begin to produce power in 2026.
Based on various sources, I have gleaned the following information concerning the Last Energy PWR-20:
Electric Output 20 Mw from a 60 Mw thermal source at 300°C
Expected capacity factor 95%
The units will use standard PWR fuel at 4.95% enrichment.
The units are air-cooled requiring a water supply of less than 8 gpm (30 litres per minute)
The physical footprint of the reactor and associated cooling plant is 0.5 acre (0.2 hectare), I estimate that this footprint is 64m long by 32m wide.
The nuclear part of the plant is placed below grade and the maximum height above ground of the plant is 12m.
The reactors will be refuelled every 6 years. The shutdown for refuelling is expected to be less than 3 months. Fuel for the reactor is packaged into what Last Energy calls a battery. The spent battery is stored onsite until decommissioning of the reactor. There is space for 6 ‘batteries’ to be stored onsite which gives a 42-year life of plant before the storage space is filled.
Last Energy will take responsibility to decommission the plant when power production ceases.
The plant is fully modular. The initial units will be assembled in an offshore fabrication facility in Houston, Texas that normally produces modules for offshore platforms.
Construction time of the modules into a fully functioning reactor is expected to be 3 months with a total construction time of 12 months.
The cost of the reactor installed and producing power is in the region of $100,000,000.
I consider this reactor and the model of deployment to be significant. One might hope that we could bring 4 of these reactors to Inverclyde and in this way decarbonise the full electric demand of Inverclyde. Deployment of say 1 reactor in Port Glasgow, two in Greenock and 1 in Gourock might also give scope to decarbonise the domestic heating requirements of the homes and offices here. Using the waste heat from the reactors for district heating could reduce heating costs and decarbonise this sector of the local economy.
Joe