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DOE OSTI · 3024561

Towards Cost-Competitive Microreactors

Hanna Bishara Hanna, Botros Naseif·Patterson, MW (Mike)·Gonzaga de Oliveira, Rodrigo Gonzalez·Abou Jaoude, Abdalla
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Abstract

To assess the cost competitiveness of microreactors, a new tool integrating reactor design calculations with economic models was developed. Using detailed cost data and design specifications from the MARVEL project (85 kWth), the tool estimates costs for a more representative commercial microreactor (20 MWth). The LCOE for a 20 MWth MARVEL-like reactor is estimated at $236/MWh, with an overnight cost of about $12,000/kW (excluding fuel). Mass production could reduce costs by 70%, making the 10th unit cost around $3,700/kWe, which is economically competitive. The new neutronics-economics coupling tool also enables studying the impact of the design parameters on the economic figures of merit. The impact of changing the enrichment and reactor capacity on the LCOE has been studied.

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22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMYEconomicsMARVELmicroreactorsNeutronicsnuclear costOpenMCreactor design

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Hanna Bishara Hanna, Botros Naseif, Patterson, MW (Mike), Gonzaga de Oliveira, Rodrigo Gonzalez, Abou Jaoude, Abdalla. 2024-11-17. Towards Cost-Competitive Microreactors. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3024561

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