Avoidance of partial load operation at coal-fired power plants by storing nuclear power through power to gas

The need of fast regulation of electricity production leads to a number of inconveniences occurred to the electric generation system and the electric market, especially to the nuclear power. A new concept to control nuclear power production is posed in order to allow the regulation of the electricity sent to the grid. This concept proposes the joint operation of a nuclear power plant, a coal power plant with postcombustion capture and a methanation plant. The cost effectiveness of this technology and its capability to reduce the CO2 emissions-consumed in the methanation process- are assessed through the design and economic and environmental analysis of a hybrid facility. Mainly due to the increase of the operating hours of the coal-fired power plant, the environmental feasibility of the initial proposal seems to be limited. However, given that benefits are expected in the medium and long-term (2020-2030) for the Power to Gas facility, a future alternative use is proposed. The target of this new alternative configuration will be the storage of CO2 together with the storage of renewable energy. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.