Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
1–10 of 23 posts
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#2The problem France has is that most of its nuclear power plants are not built along the coast but along rivers. Since the plants discharge warmer water into those rivers, which may have an environmental impact there are strict legal limits on how much water may be warmed.
Previously, and in a 'normal' year this was all fine but during recent heatwaves rivers' water was already very warm so that legal limits were exceeded and consequently power plants have to shut.
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#3The problem France has is that most of its nuclear power plants are not built along the coast but along rivers. Since the plants discharge warmer water into those rivers, which may have an environmental impact there are strict legal limits on how much water may be warmed. Previously, and in a 'normal' year this was all fine but during recent heatwaves rivers' water was already very warm so that legal limits were exce…
Lack of cooling water was an issue in the last couple of years already. Especially for plants along the Rhine and not just nuclear power plants.
Not that costal power plants have a huge advantage so, pretty sure there limits on the eater temp fed back into the sea as well. Either way, the location of those plants cannot be changed anymore.
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#4Source from 2018??
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#5My understanding is that plants with cooling towers don't have this problem. The question is how expensive the towers are to build.
Also, some newer nuclear reactor designs don't have this problem as they would operate at much higher temperatures, therefore making air cooling possible (e.g. liquid salt reactors).
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#6The problem France has is that most of its nuclear power plants are not built along the coast but along rivers. Since the plants discharge warmer water into those rivers, which may have an environmental impact there are strict legal limits on how much water may be warmed. Previously, and in a 'normal' year this was all fine but during recent heatwaves rivers' water was already very warm so that legal limits were exce…
Can they build bigger cooling ponds? The South Texas Nuclear Generating Station is on the Colorado river in an area where ambient temps are 90-100F daily year around but it has an absolutely massive cooling pond.
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#7While this is a recurring problem, the article itself is from 2018. Here is a more recent article about the same subject https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-15/french-nu...
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#8Article from 2018
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#9It's a non-subject really. NPPs are technically very well able to function under such heatwave. Regulations limiting the upstream/downstream water temperature difference and the maximum stream temperature are the limiting factor.
Derogations are in place to allow NPPs bypassing these limitations. And tne allowed temperature increase is... pretty anecdotal. Typically, the max downstream temperature is increased by one (1) degree, and the up/downstream temperature difference limits stay the same, if not decreased [1].
What's sad is that the topic is waved by fear-mongering "ecologists" who are all too happy to showcase nuclear power under a seemingly bad light.
[1] https://twitter.com/TristanKamin/status/1548983324961607681
Re: Europe’s heatwave is forcing nuclear power plants to shut down (2018)
#10Article says that powerplants in Finland have reduced power output, but as far as I can determine, that's just not true at all. Olkiluoto 1 had extra maintenance break recently because of faulty fuel assembly, but is now on full power since last weekend. OL3 is still in testing phase, some issues with turbines were discovered and are being worked on and it's currently not producing any power. Testing program should continue within a week or so.
Edit: article is from 2018, can't recall if power output was reduced then.