Parametric and Nonparametric Models of U.S. Cost Overruns for Nuclear Power Plants
This study presents new data-driven models to estimate the effect of capacity on the percentage of cost overruns in the United States for nuclear power plant construction projects before and after the Three Mile Island accident. Parametric and nonparametric models have been developed that describe the significant shifts in nuclear energy costs during the dynamic […]
An Analysis of Physics Limited Dispatch of Nuclear Renewable Integrated Energy Systems using Deep Reinforcement Learning and Dynamic Modelling
Previous approaches to dispatching nuclear integrated energy systems (NIES) have focused on the profitability and flexibility of these systems to operate on energy grids with highly variable pricing. Because of the complexity of these systems to model and design, less focus has been given to ensuring these dispatch strategies are physically achievable. It is imperative […]
Quantifying Investment Risk: Analysis of the Purchase Decision of a Nuclear Power Plant
Cost overruns are an ill-fated part of the deployment history of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the United States, and yet studies increasingly show the important role nuclear technologies must play in decarbonizing the U.S. economy. Paradoxically, then, a key piece of a coherent decarbonization strategy depends on attracting investor action to a purchase where […]
Quantifying Investment Risk: Analysis of the Purchase Decision of a Nuclear Power Plant (Presentation)
Cost overruns are an ill-fated part of the deployment history of nuclear power plants (NPPs) in the United States, and yet studies increasingly show the important role nuclear technologies must play in decarbonizing the U.S. economy. Paradoxically, then, a key piece of a coherent decarbonization strategy depends on attracting investor action to a purchase where […]
A Hybrid Reliability Model using Generalized Renewal Processes for Predictive Maintenance in Nuclear Power Plant Circulating Water Systems
The nuclear industry’s economic viability is challenged by significant operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. Although maintenance strategies are often risk-averse, many maintenance programs rely on schedule-based strategies that perform repairs and replacements regardless of the asset’s condition, leading to unnecessary repairs and high costs. Predictive maintenance can help alleviate these costs through condition monitoring and […]
A Qualitative Strategy for Fusion of Physics into Empirical Models for Process Anomaly Detection
To facilitate the automated online monitoring of power plants, a systematic and qualitative strategy for anomaly detection is presented. This strategy is essential to provide credible reasoning on why and when an empirical versus hybrid (i.e., physics-supported) approach should be used and to determine the ideal mix of these two approaches for a defined anomaly […]