[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Calculating from the rated output of 392 MW, assuming 33% availability (and assuming that energy storage is “free”) and comparing it to the US comsumption of 3,886,400,000 MWHr (in 2010) it would take a mere 3400 hundred such plants, covering 17,000 square miles. Not counting storage and attendant losses, including transmission losses.

[chimera]

392 MW of installed capacity and they might get an average of maybe 30-35% capacity factor. Not too impressive. It would not even be considered if it weren't for the massive subsidies they get. The subsidies (ratepayer and taxpayer money) are the only "profit" these things make.

The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is being shut down at the end of the year because it is claimed it can't make money to cover its cost of operation. It is a rather small unit (less than 600 MW installed capacity) as nuclear plants go, has a 90+% capacity factor. It is a perfectly functional facility. But it is sobering to think that even this somewhat small-scale nuclear plant generated, last year, a total amount of energy that was more than every solar panel and windmill in the states of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine combined.

[catnipman]

“it would take a mere 3400 hundred such plants, covering 17,000 square miles”

Probably increase by 50% if all transportation were to be converted to electric.