Economic efficiency of power generation units based on a modular helium reactor

Economic aspects and the feasibility of introducing modular helium reactors (MHR) for power generation and for production of hydrogen under competitive market conditions are examined. A dynamic balance model is used, which makes it possible to estimate the equilibrium (market) costs of electrical energy and hydrogen, rates of growth of production, and the characteristics of the resulting profit. It is shown that using a gas-turbine modular helium reactor for production of electrical energy is clearly economically efficient for the current price of natural gas. The efficient production of hydrogen in a MHR-fuel system is possible only for significantly higher natural gas prices, which have already been reached in the world market. Translated from Atomnaya énergiya, Vol. 105, No. 5, pp. 291–296, November, 2008.