Sensitivity of the break-even rating of nuclear power with conventional power to the variation of certain technico-economic parameters

In 1976 the National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) initiated a system analysis of electrical power generation in the Lebanon, with the main purpose of estimating the competitiveness of nuclear power with fuel-oil-fired power during the 1980s. The approach followed represented a departure from the methods traditionally used in evaluating nuclear power. Earlier studies of the competitiveness between various types of power plants generally assumed a static time framework in which certain technico-economic parameters could be fixed. These included, the annual fixed charge rate, escalation rate, fuel-oil price, plant factor, average nuclear fuel burn-up, price of U₃O₈ and of various services, such as fuel enrichment, fabrication and chemical reprocessing. The present study, however, utilized a simplified, semi-analytical but variable parameter model, to yield typical break-even rating curves vs the most important of these parameters. The types of reactors considered are the LWR and the HWR all in the below 600 MW(e) output range.