Posted on 03/16/2021 3:53:42 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
GE Steam Power announced today that it has designed and manufactured the largest-ever (75-inch) last-stage blade for its Arabelle low-pressure rotor. The blade will enable the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant under construction in Somerset, England to produce 3.2 GWe of CO2 free power, GE said. Once completed, this Arabelle steam turbine will be the most powerful nuclear steam turbine in operation. It was tested at GE's factory in Belfort, France.
"Hinkley Point C is key to the UK’s energy strategy to reduce the power industry emissions," said Frédéric Wiscart, senior executive of projects at GE Steam Power. "Once completed, it will deliver 3.2 GWe of dependable, CO2 free electricity to the grid for the next 60 years."
(Excerpt) Read more at world-nuclear-news.org ...
When it comes to generating electricity, the French actually got something right.
“Germany has windmills littered all over the countryside.”
So does Southern California.
Fun fact: It takes 1.21 GWe to power a Delorean into a time machine.
I always get a laugh out of how many wind-trubines are not moving when I see a wind farm. Those things are clearly maintenance heavy.
They always glossed over just what sort of wiring that car had to handle that much current/voltage.
I was in Germany well before all this “green energy” obsession took hold. There were however The Greens with their “Atomic Kraftwerk nein!”, no doubt with ties to KGB and Stasi.
That’s very true.
“Once completed, it will deliver 3.2 GWe”
For those who don’t want to do the math, that comes out to about 40 to 50 square miles of solar panels (75 million panels), to provide the same average power as the nuke.
That last stage is there mostly to help cool the steam before hitting the condenser. Ekes out a smidgeon more power and saves on the cost of a larger heat exchanger. $$$
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