How do the operational costs of nuclear fusion compare to traditional nuclear power plants

Introduction

The operational costs of nuclear fusion are expected to be higher than those of traditional nuclear fission plants due to the experimental nature of fusion technology and its complex auxiliary systems.

Key Comparisons

Fuel Costs

Fusion

Fusion fuel (deuterium and tritium) is relatively inexpensive, but tritium is scarce and costly to produce. Start-up tritium costs are expected to be “astronomical” due to limited supplies and the need for breeding systems.

Fission

Uranium fuel is more readily available and less expensive, though it requires enrichment and long-term waste management.

Maintenance and Operations

Fusion

Requires frequent replacement of reactor components due to neutron bombardment, as well as high manpower costs for managing auxiliary systems like cryogenics, cooling, and tritium purification. These factors make fusion operational costs at least twice as high as fission.

Fission

Maintenance costs are lower, with long-established processes for refueling and waste handling. Average operational costs in 2020 were about $18–$25 per MWh.

Capacity Factor

Fusion: Likely lower (~30%) due to frequent maintenance and system breakdowns during early commercialization stages.

Fission

Very high (~90%), making it more reliable for continuous power generation.

Cost of Electricity (COE)

Fusion

Projected COE is 59–74 mills/kWh, higher than advanced fission reactors at 43–54 mills/kWh, primarily due to the cost of maintaining the “fusion island” infrastructure.

Fission

Lower COE due to established infrastructure and economies of scale in multi-reactor plants.

Conclusion

Fusion has potential for lower fuel costs in the long term, its operational expenses are currently much higher than those of traditional nuclear fission plants due to its complexity and immature technology.