Understanding Nuclear Power
summary
Covers reactor types (PWR, BWR, RBMK, molten salt, pebble bed), how fuel is handled, and hard numbers: 50,000 centrifuges produced ~1 kg 235U/day in WWII, breeder reactors turn 4 metric tons → 1 kg plutonium, typical cores hold 50–80 t and refuel by replacing one third every 18–24 months, a refuel cycle yields roughly 160 kg plutonium from a gigawatt core. Compares accidents (Chernobyl roof blown off, Three Mile Island partial core melt with ~12 t of corium, Fukushima storing 1.2M m3 water), costs ~$200/MWh now vs target $60/MWh for SMRs.
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