SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Scorching temperatures across Europe coupled with prolonged dry weather has reduced French nuclear power generation by around 5.2 gigawatts (GW) or 8%, French power grid operator RTE’s data showed on Thursday.
Electricity output was curtailed at six reactors by 0840 GMT on Thursday, while two other reactors were offline, data showed. High water temperatures and sluggish flows limit the ability to use river water to cool reactors.
In Germany, PreussenElektra, the nuclear unit of utility E.ON, said it would take its Grohnde reactor offline on Friday due to high temperatures in the Weser river.
Interesting impact of the recent heat wave, right when electrical demand is on the rise.
Previously: Records Tumble as Europe Swelters in Heatwave and the Forecast Isn't Any Better
(Score: 2, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 27 2019, @07:34PM (4 children)
Yeah, every fucking summer... why why? Because of environmental laws. You are not allowed to discharge water warmer than some amount. So, you slow down the reactor so you don't need to heat the water as much.... but yeah, then you make news how evil nuclear is trying not to fuck up the fishes and the algae and then people that know nothing turn it into "nuclear power can't handle heat!"
Some fucking twisting of reality to get there. But yeah, nuclear energy twists the reality of some irrational people very well.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Coward, Anonymous on Sunday July 28 2019, @06:22AM (3 children)
I guess you think it would be fine to discharge water that cooks the fish downstream? If nuclear reactors can't operate within the law during the summer, that's a serious deficit.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 28 2019, @09:35AM (2 children)
No.
But instead of bullshitting that "hot weather prevents power plants from operating at max output" we get "hot weather shuts down *nuclear* power plants".
There is no difference between nuclear, gas or coal when it comes to electrical generation side. The are all thermal power plants. They ALL require cooling and will be affected equally by hot weather. So WTF has nuclear have to do with the article except to again spread FUD about nuclear?? right..
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Sunday July 28 2019, @06:17PM
My guess is that nuclear plants are generally more expensive, so they tend to build them bigger (this is the case in America, at least). So instead a bunch of smaller plants scattered all around on various different rivers, you have just a few big-ass nuclear plants, so the output heat is more concentrated.
(Score: 2) by Coward, Anonymous on Monday July 29 2019, @03:08AM
Blah, blah. There is plenty of difference. Gas plants often use a combined cycle, which produces more power per unit of cooling water than nuclear plants that have a single cycle.
Explainer [forbes.com]