Economic study of nuclear seawater desalination systems for nuclear heating reactor

The method of levelized discounted water production costs and the computer program of Economic Evaluation of Cogeneration/Desalination (CDEE) options were used. A thorough economic analysis of nuclear seawater desalination demonstration plant using 10MW(t) nuclear heating reactor was presented. The water production cost of reference case of NHR-10 was 2.79$/m(3). The sensitivity analysis was performed, which including discount rate, total load factor, investment cost of power plant and water plant, duties/taxes and construction lead time orderly. The discount rate was greatly influence of water cost. It would lower to 2.16 US$/m(3), about -22.5% compared to reference case while it was 5%, because of its higher specific investment owing to small energy plant size. The water production cost of the commercial 200MW(t) nuclear desalination plant of the same type was forecasted. It was 0.90US$/m(3) and would be lowered to 0.81 US$/m(3) which is completely competitive compared to fossil energy desalination plant if the investment cost of water plant were used lately supplied by IDE Technology Ltd., Israel.