Variable and Assured Peak Electricity Production from Base-Load Light-Water Reactors with Heat Storage and Auxiliary Combustible Fuels

Figures & data

Fig. 1. Price impact of adding solar PV between 2012 and 2017 on a spring day in California.⁷

Fig. 2. Reactor system with dispatchable electricity to the grid.

Fig. 3. Westinghouse thermal heat storage module for 1 MW·h of electricity storage.

Fig. 4. Packed-bed heat storage system.

Fig. 5. Schematic of hot-rock heat storage in charging mode.

Fig. 6. Firebrick resistance-heated energy storage.

Fig. 7. Buy and sell strategies for pumped hydro and nuclear heat storage in California electricity market.

Fig. 8. Typical 1200-MW(electric) pressurized water reactor plant cycle efficiency versus power level. (Courtesy of Westinghouse Corporation.)

Fig. 9. Estimated U.S. energy consumption in 2017: 97.7 quads.

Fig. 10. Wholesale price effects of 40% to 50% wind and solar.

“California ISO: Renewables and Emissions Reports,” California ISO (Apr. 9, 2017); http://www.caiso.com/market/Pages/ReportsBulletins/RenewablesReporting.aspx (current as of June 20, 2018).

 Google Scholar