Electricity Annual Cost $250

[OAG]

This seems almost to good to be true. Now how can we muck it up, and why is an American company making it for export?

Mini nuclear plants to power 20,000 homes | Environment | The Observer

 

[Nords]

Heh-- remember in the 1950s atomic era when electricity was going to be "too cheap to meter"?

Today the reactor plant is only $25M but the operating license costs $1B.

We've spent $305 on electricity through October and generated another $840 worth (2800 KWHr). With another kilowatt of panels we'd drop below $250/year and not have to worry about earthquakes or NRC oversight...

 

[NW-Bound]

Umm...

Before I envy your moderate climate that allows the self-sufficiency of the PV, I have to remind myself of your other living costs, such as high food prices.

 

[Khan]

Umm...

Before I envy your moderate climate that allows the self-sufficiency of the PV, I have to remind myself of your other living costs, such as high food prices.

What Nords needs to do next is raise chickens (he already has worms).

 

[Zathras]

Umm...

Before I envy your moderate climate that allows the self-sufficiency of the PV, I have to remind myself of your other living costs, such as high food prices.

It isn't the moderate climate as much a the days of sunshine (which he has in abundance).
Minnesota is a better place for PV than most of Texas.

 

[TromboneAl]

It does sound too good to be true.

Other articles:

Toshiba Builds 100x Smaller Micro Nuclear Reactor

DVICE: Power your home with a mini nuclear reactor. No, really.

$492 on electricity in the last 12 months here, and it would be less without the dehumidifier running 24/7.

 

[NW-Bound]

It isn't the moderate climate as much a the days of sunshine (which he has in abundance).

I was thinking of the minimal heating and cooling that Nords requires. In the Arizonan summer of 120-deg high, every other use of electricity is incidental. The moderate climate and the abundance of water should also be inducive to farming. I would do quite a bit of gardening if I were in Hawaii, and had some land.

Talk about living off the land, I have a 2nd home in the AZ high country. When I first bought it, which came with 1.5 acre (and a 2-horse privilege which I do not care about), I thought of having an orchard. We planted an apple and a cherry tree 3 years ago. We quickly found out why no one grew any fruit tree there. The weather change is so abrupt it can change from a balmy 70-deg high to a low of 20 deg in two days, then back to 70 deg. The leaves of my cherry tree did not get a chance to turn and drop off. They were frozen on the branches!!!

I also kidded with my neighbor, a weekender who is still working in the metropolitan desert, about living off the land. Being a good fisherman, he would supply the protein (trout), while I supply the green.

As it turned out, he would have a much better job getting his trouts from the nearby lakes, which are stoked with fishery-hatched trouts raised by the rangers. My goodness, these trouts almost eat out of your hand!

So, we would not be living off the land at all, you see, but off the generosity of the tax payers. Now, how do I get them to subsidize the huge heated greenhouse that I have in mind?

 

[Zathras]

I was thinking of the minimal heating and cooling that Nords requires.

Of course, my error, thank you for the correction.
Yes, if I didn't have the heating bill I have in the winter I would likely be under the $250/year power bill (sigh).
I wonder how sunny it is in Kansas?

 

[Nords]

Before I envy your moderate climate that allows the self-sufficiency of the PV, I have to remind myself of your other living costs, such as high food prices.

$5/gallon milk aside, I think eating local isn't that much more expensive in this country's 12th-largest city than other comparable metropolises, especially with Costco & Wal-Mart.

But eating Mainland food in Hawaii is definitely expensive. Our kid eats papaya & lychee all the time but thinks of cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries as strange, exotic, and horribly costly fruits. I haven't even told her about blackberries or concord grapes.

Another overlooked factor in the Paradise Tax is the "winter budget" for heating, winterizing, warm clothes, repairing cold damage, and so on. But let's table that discussion until spring...

 

[Zoocat]

This seems almost to good to be true. Now how can we muck it up, and why is an American company making it for export?

Mini nuclear plants to power 20,000 homes | Environment | The Observer

Does it come with its own mini radioactive waste disposal facility?

 

[OAG]

Does it come with its own mini radioactive waste disposal facility?

No, it is a sealed unit. When it needs refueling they take the entire thing back to the factory and do the work. Like a toner cartridge (you do send them back, don't you?).

 

[soupcxan]

As someone who has already consumed 9500 kwh this year and paid $1500 for it, I can assure that I will buy one of these nukes as soon as they have them on the shelves at Costco.

 

[REWahoo]

No, it is a sealed unit. When it needs refueling they take the entire thing back to the factory and do the work. Like a toner cartridge...

As someone who has already consumed 9500 kwh this year and paid $1500 for it, I can assure that I will buy one of these nukes as soon as they have them on the shelves at Costco.

I think I'll wait until the DIY generic refills are available...

 

[unclemick]

Heh-- remember in the 1950s atomic era when electricity was going to be "too cheap to meter"?

1966. Don Reid. One of the ex nuke en ga neers I worked with at Boeing back when pronunciation wasn't too picky and if you got more than half the letters right Boeing would hire you.

So - these guys have aced out the 'cheap pebble bed design that doesn't require melt down protection?'

I thought the Chinese were coming out with a cheap assembly line version based on old German engineering.

heh heh heh - Now here is a keep up with the Jone's item. .

 

[Abreutime]

The math was wrong in the article (and was fixed). It costs $2,500 per home.

 

[Urchina]

We pay about $800/year for electricity but that also includes cooking and heat, since our place is all-electric. Wall heat, no less. Thanks, cheapo builder!

I think I'll pass on the homestead nuke.

 

[Bimmerbill]

I'm running $100+ a month in NH. High cost of living up here.

 

[Koolau]

I've always been fascinated by alternative ways to produce energy "for free". I recall Nords describing his PV installation some years back and wondering if it would be practical for me once I made the big move to the Islands.

Turns out that my condo has "rules" about such things and, anyway, it's a bit too shady/cloudy here for reliable PV. But, I have used "solar" energy to cut my initial HECO (electric) bill in half. I use solar clothes drying (50 feet of clothes-line) and solar air conditioning (windows/drapes).

We average about $70/mo. now and that should drop as the fuel surcharge is sloooowly lowered. It would be difficult to justify any serious alternatives at that rate. Still...It would be great to be able to stick it to HECO. They do get the last laugh, eh, Nords. Even if you're PV generates more than you need, your bill never goes to zero, 'cause of all the extra charges (like connection service). Maybe our elected officials will finally deal with this injustice. Naaaahhhh!

 

[OAG]

The math was wrong in the article (and was fixed). It costs $2,500 per home.

I don't think they were going to sell you the unit, just the electricity it produces. It looked like it was renewable in that they would refuel it after some period. Additionally, they said it would run up to 10 years before needing refueling. But, why nit pick they will probably never see any American back yard at least until the oil, ethanol, GM, Ford and Chrysler are gone from this Earth.

I went back to the amended article. This is silly $25,000,000 divided by 10,000 homes is indeed $2,500 per home BUT they failed to look at the possible 10 year life of the unit, which, if it did last 10 years, brings the annual cost down to $250 per home. Editors, have a tough life.

I remember something from about 30 years ago. I think it was called a "fusion" generator. It was going to be a little box down in the basement (or elsewhere in the home) which would power the house forever. Never saw that one come to life either.

 

[harley]

I remember something from about 30 years ago. I think it was called a "fusion" generator. It was going to be a little box down in the basement (or elsewhere in the home) which would power the house forever. Never saw that one come to life either.

You mean the Mr. Fusion that powers my DeLorean? You didn't get yours?

 

[Nords]

They do get the last laugh, eh, Nords. Even if you're PV generates more than you need, your bill never goes to zero, 'cause of all the extra charges (like connection service). Maybe our elected officials will finally deal with this injustice. Naaaahhhh!

$16/month, whether we need it or not.

However ugly it may be, HECO invested an incredible sum of money in building the grid and then hardening it against hurricanes. It takes a lot of time & talent to maintain a reliable voltage that won't brown out whenever the fridge or a vacuum cleaner start up.

I've lived overseas where reliable power was considered a novelty, not a standard. We can always go off the grid via batteries and other voltage-management tricks, but I'm more than happy to pay $16/month...

 

[TromboneAl]

I remember something from about 30 years ago. I think it was called a "fusion" generator. It was going to be a little box down in the basement (or elsewhere in the home) which would power the house forever. Never saw that one come to life either.

It was cold fusion.

 

[ERD50]

I Still...It would be great to be able to stick it to HECO. They do get the last laugh, eh, Nords. Even if you're PV generates more than you need, your bill never goes to zero, 'cause of all the extra charges (like connection service). Maybe our elected officials will finally deal with this injustice. Naaaahhhh!

After reading Nords explanation - do you still feel the use of their grid for $16/month is an "injustice" that our elected officials should "do something about"?

Have you priced out the cost of batteries to go off-grid, and considered the environmental impact of replacing those batteries on a regular schedule? Personally, there are other things I'd like our elected officials to look after.

-ERD50

 

[OAG]

Something like this: HowStuffWorks "How Nuclear Fusion Reactors Work"

 

[Koolau]

Nords and ERD50

Actually, I was being more facetious than reactionary in my original post, but I know it doesn't always come through in the written word. My apologies (to you - and to HECO, heh heh.)

Yeah, I knew that HECO has costs involved with keeping everything running smoothly and stringing lines, etc. I don't question their need to charge for that and am willing to pay it to stay on the grid.

I didn't say it well, but I guess my point related to excess generation capacity - well beyond what would be needed to cover HECO's line charges, etc. Even if a homeowner invested in twice the PV s/he needed (and gave the excess to HECO) there is no provision for HECO to pay for that "free" generation capacity except to zero out the actual electricity part of the bill. I would think HECO would encourage such generation (buying at wholesale and selling at retail as they do) so that they don't need to build more new generation plants. But currently, there is limited incentive to overbuild PVs, or add wind/water turbines, or heat/electrical co-generation systems etc. even if you can find an economical way to do it. (e.g., buy up a used system or design your own.)

I attended a seminar that HECO gave. THey were pushing their $3/mo rebate for the ability to remotely turn off your water heater in case they needed the extra capacity. (I thought it a great idea and signed up.) They stressed that this is one of the ways they were avoiding building new plants which burn fossil fuel. I asked why they didn't encourage people to overbuild PV systems or other non-conventional systems and then make a reasonable payment for the excess (once their $16/mo was covered, that is). The rep. was not programmed with an answer for this one, so I brought it up here - clumsily.

I'm not one who would deny a reasonable return to a utility (or any one else, for that matter) I'm just curious why HECO (and probably most other elec. utilities) would not encourage decentralized additions to their generation capacity. If they really want to avoid building new generation capacity - as they say they do - decentralized generation could be a part of the answer. Since most such generation uses little or no fossil fuels, it seems win-win-win. Maybe I'm naive. Yeah, that must me it.