How much does it cost to build a nuclear reactor?
The initial construction costs for a new nuclear energy reactors are capital-intensive and can range from $6 billion to $8 billion for a large reactor. Initial costs of nuclear power plants are greater than those of fossil fuel-fired plants. However, after the initial high construction costs, the cost of producing electricity at a nuclear plant is fairly low; in fact, operating costs of nuclear power plants are often much lower than those of fossil fuel plants.
How do nuclear energy costs compare with other energy sources?Generating electricity through nuclear fission has a capital cost that is equivalent to coal, although nuclear energy is not cost-competitive with low-cost fossil fuels. Nuclear energy remains substantially cheaper than most sustainable clean energy sources, and have much lower operational and management costs when compared with other energy sources.
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