gzt: I'll take a wild guess it had something to do with the Waikato river.

Well there’s already a thermal power station right by the river in Huntly, capable of providing 1(?)GW of electricity. It must have the transmission infrastructure already in place, so just swap out the hydrocarbon powered units for SMRs for over time.

Years ago I was strongly opposed to nuclear power on the grounds of the problematic disposal of the waste.

Sweden apparently was/is building a huge underground cavern to safeguard their waste for the next thousand years - imagine what their descendants will think of that in 500 years time.

Now however, I think  that this will not be a problem as Peter Beck takes everything to the great yellow rubbish dump in the sky.

decibel:

 

takes everything to the great yellow rubbish dump in the sky.

 

Think of the problem if a rocket explodes during lift off or higher up in the sky. 

Nuclear waste is really just creating a nightmare for future generations to solve, when there are renewable options that don't have that problem. So it is probably false economy in the long run, and future generations won't thank todays people.  Especially the high costs to decommission nuclear power plants when they reach EOL. 

mattwnz:

 

Nuclear waste is really just creating a nightmare for future generations to solve, when there are renewable options that don't have that problem. So it is probably false economy in the long run, and future generations won't thank todays people.  Especially the high costs to decommission said plants. 

 

What is the cost of a nuclear power plant and how long will it take to build?

What is the cost of solar/wind farms and how long will they take to build?  

tdgeek:

 

What is the cost of a nuclear power plant and how long will it take to build?

 

What is the cost of solar/wind farms and how long will they take to build?  

 

Nuclear is getting cheaper all the time.

Solar/wind is no good without a storage device of some sort.

decibel:

 

 

 

Solar/wind is no good without a storage device of some sort.

 

Aren't houses going to end up with power banks to store power  to use during the night. Not too much different from batteries for  an EV, but the batteries  are for the home instead. 

decibel:

 

tdgeek:

 

What is the cost of a nuclear power plant and how long will it take to build?

 

What is the cost of solar/wind farms and how long will they take to build?  

 

 

Nuclear is getting cheaper all the time.

 

Solar/wind is no good without a storage device of some sort.

 

That "some sort" already exists in that we can reduce production in the hydro dams as solar etc ramp up.

However batteries are an excellent idea, you then have local storage so if power lines are taken out during a storm you still have power...a Nuclear plant can't help here.

Smart charging of electric cars can also help balance out load demand, for example if we end up will say Auckland going off line the rest of NZ can charge their cars and help stabilise the grid.

decibel:

 

Years ago I was strongly opposed to nuclear power on the grounds of the problematic disposal of the waste.

 

Sweden apparently was/is building a huge underground cavern to safeguard their waste for the next thousand years - imagine what their descendants will think of that in 500 years time.

 

 

 

Now however, I think  that this will not be a problem as Peter Beck takes everything to the great yellow rubbish dump in the sky.

 

It's harder to get to the sun than you think. Conservation of momentum is a b1itch.

decibel:

 

tdgeek:

 

What is the cost of a nuclear power plant and how long will it take to build?

 

What is the cost of solar/wind farms and how long will they take to build?  

 

 

Nuclear is getting cheaper all the time.

 

Solar/wind is no good without a storage device of some sort.

 

You didnt answer my query.

Batteries, as AUS has a farm(s). Can subsidise home batteries for use with solar and wind farms. 

Wind is a 24 hour phenomenon.

tdgeek:

 

Wind is a 24 hour phenomenon.

 

no its not

for nz, renewables is a must and nuclear is a last resort. 

there is quite a few projects in the pipeline. however fingers crossed that new battery tech improves storage cost and reliability. 

home solar has a few issues when done on every home, they may have to do something like a 2ndary lines with communal connection to the grid (everyone in the street connects their solar together and use one connection to the grid).  home battery setup would help a lot, especially with ev's.  

Jase2985:

tdgeek: Wind is a 24 hour phenomenon.

no its not 

Yeah, ask the sailors of old

ANglEAUT:

 

Yeah, ask the sailors of old

 

 

 

Hence the term "becalmed"...

tdgeek  Details of costs for cost benefit is a bit slippery.

Most of the things people are favoring here are not current proven commercial designs.
Full scale build and operational data for running cost, safety evaluations, lifecycle management etc. 
They may even lack 1 full final commercial scale running prototype ?
Its a lot of plans, extrapolations, and very fancy Ai graphics :-) 

As far as I can work out. 

Like early Theranos, one hell of a compelling 'cost benefit' until you try to actually do it.
Too late, lets fake it til we make it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theranos

We have not exhausted solar as photos of any city with empty roofs of warehouses, factory, 
commercial and houses would show.
Geothermal we have just completed a new plant in Northland, and there are advances in this technology we have not tried.
Wind there is more that can be done, on-shore and offshore though there is quite a lot of objection.
If you have problems getting windfarms approved you are truly not ready for Nuclear! 
Have not given storage technologies any priority, and demand seems to have not given it a business case yet.

Main problem is, we are, or those that decide, plus shareholders of our generators,
are kinda ok with power prices where they are, so enough generation.

Remember panic over Tiwai Pont potentially closing causing electricity price apocalypse.
The horror of cheap power, it will be cats and dogs living together a hellscape of inefficient electricity use.