A “quiet nuclear renaissance” unfolds in the United States

[Marlin]

A "quiet nuclear renaissance" unfolds in the United States
http://investorintel.com/uranium-energy-intel/quiet-nuclear-renaissance-unfolding-usa/

[Rennhack]

Great article.  I didn't realize some of those points.

[hamsamich]

good article yes.  I read a bit deeper after your comment.  One thing that bothered me was the capacity factor of combined cycle gas 55% being compared to nuclear 92%.  Nuclear plants are supposed to run all the time and are not cycled up and down like gas units (peaking units).  Is it fair to compare a peaking unit to a unit that is supposed to run all the time to provide base load?  Maybe natty gas units have to be shutdown more often than nuclear plants for maintenance, but I didn't think this was the case.  Forgive my ignorance if so.  Obviously if natty gas units are cycled up and down based on market conditions this should be considered a strength not a weakness.  So that seemed hugely misleading unless I am missing something.  It bugs the crap out of me when facts and figures are misrepresented, if this is the case.

[Chimera]

"A combined-cycle power plant uses both a gas and a steam turbine together to produce up to 50 percent more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple-cycle plant." - See more at: https://powergen.gepower.com/resources/knowledge-base/combined-cycle-power-plant-how-it-works.html#sthash.29nx7u1r.dpuf

The cited article never mentioned anything about a peaking unit.  Most of my readings state that the overall efficiency of a combined-cycle gas plant is approximately 50%.  The author is not misrepresenting his facts - he's just ignorant of the difference between capacity factor and efficiency (Carnot cycle efficiency, I'm assuming)

[hamsamich]

no he said the capacity factor was 56%.  I looked it up on two other websites and he is correct.

[Higgs]

As my company announces that it is getting out of competitive generation by potentially declaring bankruptcy on the subsidiary that owns us and selling/shutting us down.

http://powersource.post-gazette.com/powersource/companies/2016/11/04/FirstEnergy-posts-profit-after-hot-summer-pittsburgh/stories/201611040185