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acidtalons t1_j0f2for wrote

Reply to comment by regrettinglastweek in Nuclear fusion breakthrough: A physicist answers three vital questions by FarmhouseFan

Uranium is 9% of the cost to generate power in a fission plant. Turbines, containment, staff and maintenance make up 91% of the cost. Deuterium/Tritium fusion will produce significant neutron Flux which will require similar shielding to fission facilities (though to be fair less long term waste storage).

Even if it makes more heat you'll just need more turbines, tubing etc etc on the heat engine side.

Fission is costing 5x the cost of new solar and wind installs.

I don't see how this helps energy infrastructure and seems like it will be great for space or defense applications but the "future of limitless free power" seems to be overselling it (btw we did the same thing with fission in the 50s).

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doawk7 t1_j0fly3z wrote

Source? Wikipedias source has it at 24%. Operational costs aren't too much of a concern with nuclear to my knowledge anyway, capital expenditure is where the big issue is.

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Human_Anybody7743 t1_j0g9let wrote

Wiki's source seems to be from 2007 when there was a massive Uranium price spike due to the highest grade mines getting flooded. Additionally enrichment methods have changed and it might not have included that.

World nuclear has it somewhere in the $2-5/MWh range.

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