Quantifying Capital Cost Reduction Pathways for Advanced Reactors

Capital cost considerations are one of the primary inhibitors to the large-scale deployment of nuclear power plants. While it is widely accepted that first plants will likely be expensive and relatively uncompetitive, it is reasonable to expect that subsequent plants, built in quick succession, will be cheaper as they benefit from the so-called “learning effects”. However, the large degree of uncertainty associated with this parameter renders it challenging for first movers to invest in the first few expensive plants. To resolve this impasse, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Nuclear Liftoff study advocated for the formation of large, committed order book of same-design plants to kickstart the nuclear supply chain (DOE 2023). The study also advocated best practices for avoiding overruns and keeping reactors on budget. This report builds on these key recommendations by attempting to quantify specific pathways toward cost reduction for nuclear energy.