The Challenge

Nuclear power is a clean and reliable source of energy that has been providing steady base load generation for many years throughout the United States. Our electricity systems are undergoing rapid transformations as more cheap renewable energy is being brought into the grid. Increasing wind and solar generation tend to decrease average wholesale electricity prices, while increasing the need to for flexible generation resources to help balance their short-term, weather-dependent generation volatility. As nuclear plants in the United States have traditionally been operating as base load resources without significant operational flexibility, these factors both present challenges for their long-term profitability. However, there are many use cases around the world where nuclear power can be operated flexibly without jeopardizing its reliability, economics or safety. These capabilities have potential to improve even further with the emergence of next generation nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs). As a result, nuclear technologies could displace coal and natural gas to provide extremely valuable dispatchable zero-carbon electricity in decarbonized electricity systems of the future.

Argonne’s Approach

Researchers at Argonne are currently working to ensure that the detailed physical constraints and operational characteristics of nuclear power plants are accurately captured in our models and tools. With more accurate representation, the role of nuclear power plants can be rigorously investigated across a range of different future system conditions along with the associated implications for short-term operational strategies and long-term investment retirement decisions. Some activities include:

• Improving representation of nuclear power plants to consider physical constraints, including thermal limits and stress impact on ramp rates, as well as the impact of xenon transients and fuel reactivity on ramping capability.
• Applying out models to analyze the impact of flexible nuclear power plants on future grid economics and reliability, as well as nuclear plant profitability.
• Understanding the role of nuclear power plant in decarbonized electricity systems of the future.