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This is damned impressive

Saskatchewan and Ontario have each chosen GE-Hitachi as the supplier of small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), which could be deployed in the Prairie province by the 2030s and in Ontario by 2018.

Ontario has a time machine now.

14 thoughts on “This is damned impressive”

  1. They use the modular nuclear reactor to return them to the 1920s, when they can burn all the oil and coal they want.

  2. If Ontario has converted to Islam they’ve got 575 years to get it working, which is probably achievable.

  3. Harry Haddock's Ghost

    I thought it was a given that the Canadian’s had a time machine? After all, they have a 16th Century puritan as Prime Minister.

  4. Later in the same article, as a comparison, we find: “A 300W-solar power farm would require 1.5 million solar panels and cost approximately $300 million, …”

    The trouble with engineering is that having the correct numbers and the correct units does matter – just a tad.

    Best regards

  5. I don’t get this “race for small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs)” such as UK going for the still on drawing board RR one

    Why not buy the proven Bechtel A1B 700MW reactor as used on US Ford Class aircraft carriers? It costs ~£1 bn and has been availalbe for a few years

  6. I don’t think it’s as simple as taking a proven reactor from a boat or ship and running an identical model on dry land – the safety certifications are quite different. Maybe the safety requirements for civilian reactors are too restrictive, but you’ll have a tough argument convincing folk that they should be relaxed.

  7. Additionally, naval reactors have the advantage that there is literally never a shortage of coolant. Land-based reactors need to be able to at least shut down gracefully in the event of overheating.

  8. @Pcar
    Ever heard of mains water

    What happens when there’s a hosepipe ban? The implication being that water is in short supply.

  9. @asiaseen

    There is no water shortage. Only a shortage of storage as EU banned new reservoirs and UK continues ban. Population >7% higher in 10 years and no new reservoirs

    All those floods, but no water stored

  10. @Pcar
    There is no water shortage. Only a shortage of storage

    If there is a shortage of water storage ergo there is a shortage of useable water. Hence hosepipe bans and, by extension, a deficit of mains cooling water for reactors.

  11. @asiaseen

    Did you miss “All those floods, but no water stored”?

    Billions of gallons of water flowing down rivers into sea every day

    Plus water isn’t consumed by cooling, it goes round and round same as in a car

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