The three cases analysed are:
– First reference case: Three nuclear reactors replace existing coal boilers in a 460 MW supercritical coal-fired unit in Poland.
– Second reference case: Two nuclear reactors replace existing coal boilers in the same unit.
– Third case: Two nuclear reactors replace existing coal boilers and are equipped with a molten salt thermal energy storage (TES) system. The TES system acts as a buffer for the heat produced by the reactor system (allowing for flexible operation without significant drops in the efficiency of electricity production).
The analysis shows that a TES system with capacity of 800 MWh is the most attractive investment for current market conditions, but larger capacities may be more beneficial with increasing price volatility.
